The Australian government said it is “extremely disappointed” with the confirmation by Japan that it will officially withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC).
Citing difficulty in getting concessions, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said the government would inform the IWC before the year’s end of its planned exit by June 30.
“There have been no concessions from countries who only place importance on the protection of whales,” Mr Suga said.
“At the IWC general meeting in September this year, it became evident once again that those supporting the sustainable use of whale stocks and those supporting protection cannot co-exist, leading us to this conclusion.”
He said the exit allows Japan to begin commercial hunting of minke and other whales in its own coastal waters from next year – actions prohibited under membership of the IWC.
Mr Suga said the focus on its own waters means Japan will “cease the take of whales in the Antarctic Ocean/the Southern Hemisphere” from next summer.
Australia urges Japan to reverse decision
Australia’s environment minister Melissa Price welcomed the pullout from the Southern Ocean, but condemned the exit from the IWC as “regrettable”.
“Their [Japan’s] decision to withdraw is regrettable and Australia urges Japan to return to the Convention and [the International Whaling] Commission] as a matter of priority,” she said in a joint statement with foreign minister Marise Payne.
“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.
Conflicting views on scope for commercial whaling
Established in 1946, the IWC works to conserve the world’s whale population and introduced a moratorium on commercial whaling in 1986 as part of that mission.
Japan has cited cultural traditions to justify the need to continue killing whales for the fishing industry and consumers.
During its IWC membership, Japan exploited a loophole that allowed whales to be killed for “scientific research”.
Japan said such activity allowed it to establish that the whale population is large enough to support the resumption of commercial hunting.
20 December: Bob Brown condemns Japans return to commercial whaling
Mr Suga said scientific evidence and objectives contained in the 1946 international agreement on whaling -International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling – supported Japan’s push for commercial hunting based on a sustainable whale population.
He said Japan felt that point of view was not being supported in the IWC.
“Although scientific evidence has confirmed that certain whale species/stocks of whales are abundant, those member states that focus exclusively on the protection of whales, while ignoring the other stated objective of the ICRW, refused to agree to take any tangible steps towards reaching a common position that would ensure the sustainable management of whale resources.”
In September, Japan failed in its bid to convince the IWC to allow it to restart commercial whaling, citing diminishing stocks of certain whale species. Australia, the United States and the European Union led the charge to obtain that outcome.
‘Dangerous precedent’
Humane Society International Australia campaigner Nicola Beynon said her organisation had concerns about other countries, such as Norway and Iceland, following Japan in exiting the IWC.
“What we’re concerned about is a new era of pirate whaling opening up in the northern hemisphere,” Ms Beynon told SBS News.
“We are concerned that it might encourage other countries to leave the IWC and follow the example of Japan.
“And it also concerns us because Japan is also walking away from multilateralism, from the rules-based [international] order, from international agreements that there are to conserve marine wildlife.
“And we’re worried about the precedent that sets, not only for whales but for other marine animals and fisheries.”
She said while the IWC allowed the killing of whales to support the livelihoods of Aboriginal fishermen, such a provision did not apply to Japan because of commercial whaling activity.
“The IWC does allow for Aboriginal subsistence whaling. So those communities around the world that really depend on whale meat for their sustenance – that whaling is allowed and is not objected to. But Japan is a highly developed economy. Japan does not need to be hunting whales.
“And the Australian community. We used to go whaling. We’ve left it behind in the last century. And it is high time that Japan did too. Because commercial whaling is banned.”
Australia urged to consider legal options
She urged Australia and other nations to use diplomatic channels to ensure Japan remains in the IWC.
“We’re pleased the Australian government made a strong statement.
“We need the Australian government and other pro-conservation countries to be using every diplomatic channel to persuade Japan against continuing commercial whaling.”
Ms Beynon said in the event that diplomatic overtures failed, Australia should consider launching another legal battle under the international law of the sea.
“Under the international convention for the law of the sea, countries are required to co-operate together to conserve marine resources.
“And the International Whaling Commission, under international law, under that law of the sea is the body that is responsible for that. So Japan is rejecting that international law. And that’s an area of international law that should now be looked at to see if there are mechanisms to bring Japan back into the fold.”
In 2014, Australia successfully sought a ruling from the International Court of Justice that Japan’s scientific whaling program was not a lawful exception to the international moratorium on commercial whaling.
27 June 2013: Australia thwarts Japan bid to end 32-year commercial whaling ban
Sea Shepherd hails Japan’s withdrawal from Southern Ocean
Activist group Sea Shepherd welcomed Japan’s announcement to end its operations in the Southern Ocean.
“We are delighted to see the end of whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary,” said Sea Shepherd captain Paul Watson.
“We are delighted that we will soon have a South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary and we look forward to continuing to oppose the three remaining pirate whaling nations of Norway, Japan and Iceland. Whaling as a ‘legal’ industry has ended. All that remains is to mop up the pirates.”
Sea Shepherd did not patrol the Southern Ocean this year because of a multi-million security investment in Japan’s fleet designed to circumvent interference by the activist group.
Since 2002, the group said it has saved over 6000 whales from being killed by Japanese vessels claiming to conduct scientific research.
“Sea Shepherd’s objective of ending the slaughter of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary has been realized,” the group said in a statement.
“This is a victory for the campaign to make the Southern Ocean a whaling free zone.”