Japan 'to continue' Antarctic whaling

12:29, 13 July 2011

LONDON. July 13. KAZINFORM Japan intends to send its whaling fleet back to the Antarctic this year, a senior official has told BBC News.

According to BBC News, there has been speculation that campaigns by activists, money problems and new rules at sea might persuade Tokyo to stop Antarctic whaling.

But at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting, Japan's Joji Morishita said the plan was to return.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which forced the last hunt's early closure, says it will be back too.

Finding a way to deal with the organisation's vessels is the main obstacle Japan sees to continuing for the next season and beyond.

"We are now discussing how we can send our fleet back to the Antarctic Ocean," said Mr Morishita, Japan's deputy commissioner to the IWC and a senior official in the Fisheries Agency.

"Simply put, the attack from Sea Shepherd organisation is the one we have to consider how we prevent that to happen again."

Details also at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14132320

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