TOKYO — Humpback whales are safe — at least for now.
Giving in to U.S. pressure and worldwide criticism, Japan’s government on Friday announced a whaling fleet now in the Southern Ocean for its annual hunt will not kill the threatened species as originally planned. The fleet will, however, kill some 935 minke whales, a smaller, more plentiful species, and 50 fin whales.
Japan dispatched its whaling fleet last month to the southern Pacific off Antarctica in the first major hunt of humpback whales since the 1960s. Commercial hunts of humpbacks have been banned worldwide since 1966, and commercial whaling overall since 1986.
The fleet was to kill 50 humpbacks for scientific research. But the plan generated immediate criticism from environmental groups, which oppose the hunts to begin with but were outraged by the inclusion of humpbacks because they are so rare.
“Whaling issues tend to become emotional, but we hope that the discussion will be carried out calmly, on the basis of scientific evidence,” chief government spokesman Nobutaka Machimura said in announcing the halt.
It was a stunning turnaround for Japan.
The U.S., which currently heads the International Whaling Commission, recently held several rounds of talks with Japan to seek a 1- to 2-year suspension of the humpback hunt.
“We applaud Japan’s decision as an act of goodwill toward the International Whaling Commission,” said U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
