Australia dissapointed with Japan’s decision to resume commercial whaling

Australia implores Tokyo to immediately reverse its decision to resume commercial whaling, condemning it as a “regrettable” move.

Pro- and anti-whaling nations locked horns in September as the International Whaling Commission began meeting in Brazil amid outrage over Japan's proposal to end a three-decade moratorium on commercial whale hunting. Picture: Eitan Abramovich / AFP)

Japan’s withdrawal from the International Whaling Commission has been condemned as a “regrettable” move by the Morrison government, which today implored Tokyo to immediately reverse its decision.

The Japanese withdrawal means the country can resume the controversial practice of commercial whaling after a 30 year absence, with the IWC instituting a moratorium on commercial whaling in 1982 with which Tokyo complied from 1988.

The cabinet of Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe confirmed the withdrawal today, saying it would commence commercial whaling in the waters in its exclusive economic zone from July 2019.

The withdrawal also means that Japan will no longer be able to continue its practice of “scientific whaling” in the Antarctic Ocean, which is allowed under a provision in the 1946 International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling.

Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Environment Minister Melissa Price said the Morrison government was “extremely disappointed” at the Japanese decision.

“Australia urges Japan to return to the Convention and Commission as a matter of priority,” the pair said in a statement. “Australia remains resolutely opposed to all forms of commercial and so-called ‘scientific’ whaling. We will continue to work within the Commission to uphold the global moratorium on commercial whaling”.

“We acknowledge Japan’s commitment to continue to co-operate with the Commission as an observer. This will provide an avenue for Australia and other members of the Commission to continue to engage with Japan on whaling”.

Senator Payne and Ms Price acknowledged the decision by Tokyo would put an end to the annual practice of Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean from the end of 2019.

“The Australian Government welcomes Japan’s announcement that it will stop whaling in the Southern Ocean as of next summer. This means that the International Whaling Commission’s vast Southern Ocean Sanctuary, and our own Australian Whale Sanctuary, will finally be true sanctuaries for all whales”.

At its September meeting in Brazil, the IWC knocked back a push by Tokyo to resume the commercial whaling of more abundant whale species – a rejection that triggered speculation of a possible Japanese withdrawal.

For the IWC to set a catch-quota, it requires agreement from three quarters of member states but anti-whaling nations were opposed to the push.

Japan today slammed the IWC, arguing that the September decision revealed “the fact that it is not possible in the IWC even to seek the coexistence of States with different views”.

“Consequently, Japan has been led to make its decision”.

The statement, issued by the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, said that Tokyo had decided to resume commercial whaling in July and withdraw from the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling.

“From July 2019, after the withdrawal comes into effect on June 30, Japan will conduct commercial whaling within Japan’s territorial sea and its exclusive economic zone, and will cease the take of whales in the Antarctic Ocean,” the statement said.

“The whaling will be conducted in accordance with international law and within the catch limits calculated in accordance with the method adopted by the IWC to avoid negative impact on cetacean resources”.

The statement also said that whaling had been a key source of support to local communities in Japan and set out Tokyo’s hope that more countries would come to “share the same position to promote sustainable use of aquatic living resources based on scientific evidence”.

According to Australia’s Department of Environment and Energy, several whale species are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species as ‘vulnerable’, ‘endangered’ or ‘critically endangered’.

These include the sei, blue, fin, sperm, northern right whales and some sub-populations of humpback whales.