Japan to renew push for commercial whaling

Japan says whale stocks have recovered enough after the ban in the 1980s and that commercial hunts should resume.

A senior Japanese whaling negotiator says Tokyo will continue to seek a resumption of commercial whaling despite the recent defeat of its proposal by the International Whaling Commission.

Senior fisheries negotiator Hideki Moronuki said on Thursday the IWC should represent both conservation interests and the sustainable use of resources, and not act as if it were an anti-whaling group.

IWC imposed a ban on commercial whaling in the 1980s because of dwindling stocks.

A whale is unloaded from a boat in Hokkaido. Source: AAP

Japan has instead conducted what it calls research whaling, and says stocks have recovered enough that commercial hunts should resume.

Its proposal was defeated at an IWC meeting in Brazil on September 14.

Japan has hunted whales for centuries. It has reduced its catch following international protests and declining demand for whale meat at home.