The US headed off a Japanese proposal at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) which could have seen Greenpeace stripped of observer status at the meeting.
The row erupted over a collision involving a Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise and a Japanese whaler in the Southern Ocean on January 8. Each side blames the other for the incident.
The IWC has adopted a general resolution, which does not assign blame for the incident, or mention Greenpeace, but did made clear it does not "condone" dangerous protests at sea.
However Japan's Fisheries Agency has issued a news release announcing that Greenpeace was "criticised" by the IWC.
The newsletters adds that the Greenpeace ship "rammed" Japan's Nisshin Maru. The release drew an immediate and angry response from Greenpeace.
Greenpeace responds
"This is not even an interpretation of what happened, but pure fabrication," said Greenpeace spokesman Mike Townsley. He said that the IWC had not specified who was to blame for the clash.
"People are innocent until proven guilty," Mr Townsley said, adding the news release was a "cheap trick and an outrageous lie. In fact the consensus simply called for safety at sea from all sides involved."
Japan's alternate IWC commissioner Joji Morishita said: "The collision was created, not by us, but by Greenpeace."
"It is a miracle, we are very fortunate that we have not had any injuries or even casualties by these activities," Mr Morishita said.
The United States argued that the IWC did not have the legal jurisdiction to adjudicate the incident.
The resolution declared that the IWC does not "condone" actions at sea that risk human life or property.
It also called on member governments to take steps to ensure that groups affiliated with their countries adhere to International Maritime regulations.
In its own version of unarmed, gunboat diplomacy, Greenpeace said earlier this week that it would again engage to try to peacefully disrupt and document Japan's "research" whaling fleet in the frigid Southern Ocean later this year.
"The resolution will have no effect on us, we will go back," said another Greenpeace spokesman John Frizell.
Greenpeace maintains said its skipper rammed his vessel into reverse to avoid a collision with the Japanese ship, in the Antarctic whale feeding grounds.
Japan maintains the Sunrise courted a collision in a bid to grab global headlines, and boost fundraising.