Japan Rebuked for New Whaling Research

Japan, risking U.S. trade sanctions, will send out ships today to expand its research whaling operations, a move critics called a cover for banned commercial whaling.

The decision comes after the International Whaling Commission earlier this month passed a resolution rejecting Japan’s rationale for expanding whaling. Commercial whaling has been banned by the IWC for almost 15 years, but a limited amount of whale hunting for research purposes is still allowed.

Japan, a country that has hunted whales for thousands of years, killed more than 400 minke whales last year. It wants to hunt Bryde’s whales and sperm whales as well.

Japan’s move brought rebuke from world leaders. British Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Clinton sent letters to Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori in June, urging Mori’s government to abandon the plan. Mori responded by saying Japan would wait until the July meeting of the IWC to decide.

The IWC decision, while backed by 10 nations, does not carry any force of law.

Roland Schmitten, an official at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. representative to the IWC, said the science can be done without killing the whales, and he said he doubted whether the scientific reasons were legitimate.

“It’s a very aggressive action on behalf of Japan,” he said.

According to statements by Nobuyuki Yagi, first secretary at Japan’s embassy in Washington, the whale meat is sold on the market after research is finished.

He said the sales do not create any profit for the nonprofit research institute.

A message left seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Whale meat is a delicacy in Japan, and oils from sperm whales can be used for cosmetics and perfume.

The World Wildlife Fund issued a statement calling for sanctions against Japan and said Japan’s research is merely a “guise” to expand a banned commercial whale hunt.

White House spokesman P.J. Crowley confirmed that sanctions are a possibility.

“We have at the highest levels expressed our opposition to the expanded Japanese scientific whaling program. We have opposed it, as have other members of the IWC,” he said.

“We are disappointed that the Japanese are moving ahead with it.”

At its July meeting, the IWC also passed a resolution that could lead to the resumption of some commercial whaling.

The commission called for a plan for limited whaling by February, which would enable a vote at next year’s annual meeting in London.