A minke whale killed for “research” purposes. Photo: Kyodo/AP

A fleet of Japanese ships returned home Friday after spending four months slaughtering 333 whales in the Antarctic, a much-criticized practice the government says is conducted for research purposes.

Opponents of Japan’s whaling say the research explanation is nonsense and is used to take advantage of a loophole in the 1986 international ban on commercial whaling. While Japan’s Fisheries Agency claims that its research is focused on the reproductive and nutritional cycles of the whales, others say those things can be studied in nonlethal ways.

“Each year that Japan persists with its discredited scientific whaling is another year where these wonderful animals are needlessly sacrificed,” Kitty Block, vice-president of Humane Society International, said in a statement. “It is an obscene cruelty in the name of science that must end.”

If the research excuse is bunk, why then do the Japanese keep hunting whales despite the international ban against it? In part, to eat the meat. But that’s a small part. Whale meat hasn’t been popular in Japan since after WWII, and it’s now more of a novelty than a staple. The bigger part, agronomy professor Kazuhiko Kobayashi told Wired late last year, is that deeming whale hunting illegal and immoral while allowing factory farming and the continued killing of other animals is seen as an unfair attack on traditional Japanese values. So they continue killing whales just to be defiant, as frozen whale-meat stockpiles grow.</s>Japan’s whaling fleet returned home Friday after killing 333 whales in the Antarctic, achieving its goal for the second year under what it calls a revised research whaling program.

The Fisheries Agency said the five-ship fleet finished its four-month expedition without major interference from anti-whaling activists who have attempted to stop it in the past.

Japan says the hunt was for ecological research. Research whaling is allowed as an exception to a 1986 international ban on commercial whaling. Opponents of the Japanese program say it’s a cover for commercial whaling because the whales are sold for food.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 2014 that Japan’s Antarctic whaling program should stop because it wasn’t scientific as Tokyo had claimed. Japan conducted nonlethal whaling research in the Antarctic in 2015, and revised its program in 2016 by reducing the catch quota to about one-third of what it used to kill.

“It was great that we have achieved our plan. We will steadily continue our research toward a resumption of commercial whaling,” Fisheries Agency official Shigeto Hase said at a welcome ceremony in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, home port for the fleet’s Nisshin Maru mother ship.

Officials said the whalers used parts of the whales to determine their age, nutrition and reproductive conditions. Opponents say such studies can be done using nonlethal methods.

Kitty Block, executive vice president of Humane Society International, an animal protection group based in Washington, said Japan is needlessly killing whales every year.

“It is an obscene cruelty in the name of science that must end,” she said in a statement.

Japan has hunted whales for centuries as a source of protein and cheaper alternative to other meats. Its whale catch has fallen in recent years in part because of declining domestic demand for whale meat. Protests by the anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd have also contributed to the decline.

Critics say it’s a dying industry, but the government has spent large amounts of tax money to sustain the whaling operations, saying it’s a Japanese cultural tradition that must be preserved.</s>Japan's whaling fleet has returned home after killing 333 whales in the Antarctic, achieving its goal for the second year under a revised research whaling programme.

Tokyo's fisheries agency said the five-ship fleet has now completed its four-month expedition.

Japan said the hunt was for ecological research.

Research whaling is allowed as an exception to a 1986 international ban on commercial whaling.

Opponents of the Japanese programme say it is a cover for commercial whaling because the carcasses are sold.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 2014 that Japan's Antarctic whaling programme should stop because it was not scientific, as Tokyo had claimed.

Japan conducted non-lethal whaling research in the Antarctic in 2015, and revised its programme in 2016 by reducing the catch quota.

Japanese whaling vessel Nisshin Maru is anchored in Shimonoseki, western Japan. Photo: Souichiro Tanaka/Kyodo News via AP

A welcome ceremony was held in Shimonoseki, home port for the fleet's mother ship, Nisshin Maru.

At the event, Japanese fisheries agency official Shigeto Hase said: "It was great that we have achieved our plan. We will steadily continue our research toward a resumption of commercial whaling."

Officials said the whalers used parts of the whales to determine their age, nutrition, and reproductive conditions.

Opponents say such studies can be done using non-lethal methods.

Kitty Block, executive vice president of Humane Society International, a UK-based animal protection group, said Japan is needlessly killing whales every year.

She said: "It is an obscene cruelty in the name of science that must end."

Japan has hunted whales for centuries as a source of protein and a cheaper alternative to other meats.

Its whale catch has fallen in recent years, in part because of declining domestic demand for whale meat.

Protests by the anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd have also contributed to the decline.

Critics say it is a dying industry, but Japan's government has spent large amounts of tax money to sustain whaling operations, saying it is a Japanese cultural tradition that must be preserved.</s>Japan's whaling fleet has returned home after killing 333 whales in the Antarctic, achieving its goal for the second year under a revised research whaling program.

The Fisheries Agency said Friday that the five-ship fleet finished its four-month expedition.

Japan says the hunt was for ecological research. Research whaling is allowed as an exception to a 1986 international ban on commercial whaling. Opponents of the Japanese program say it's a cover for commercial whaling because the whales are sold.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 2014 that Japan's Antarctic whaling program should stop because it wasn't scientific as Tokyo had claimed. Japan conducted non-lethal whaling research in the Antarctic in 2015, and revised its program in 2016 by reducing the catch quota.</s>Japan, in its annual Antarctic hunt this year, killed a total of 333 whales, despite international condemnation over the years over the country's barbaric tradition.

Flouting a worldwide moratorium and opposition from countries like Australia and New Zealand, a Japanese whaling fleet set sail for the Southern Ocean in November with plans to slaughter hundreds of minke whales.

Reports state that the Japanese fleet consisted of five ships, which arrived in the morning at Shimonoseki port in western Japan, the country's Fisheries Agency said.

According to an official of the Shimonoseki City government, the fleet was greeted by more than 200 people, who were gathered in the rain for a 30-minute ceremony in front of the Nisshin Maru, the fleet's main ship.

The agency described the mission to kill the whales as "research for the purpose of studying the ecological system in the Antarctic Sea" in a press release. However, the International Court of Justice (IJC) called the claim a fiction and said that their real purpose of hunting these whales was for their meat.

Animal protection charity Humane Society International (HSI) has been calling for an end to the cruel tradition of Japanese whaling.

"Each year that Japan persists with its discredited scientific whaling is another year where these wonderful animals are needlessly sacrificed. It is an obscene cruelty in the name of science that must end," she said in a release," HSI executive vice president Kitty block said.</s>Whaling fleet returns to port after slaughtering hundreds of minke whales, in defiance of moratorium on hunting and global criticismA Japanese whaling fleet returned to port on Friday after an annual Antarctic hunt that killed more than 300 of the mammals, as Tokyo pursues the programme in defiance of global criticism. The fleet set sail for the Southern Ocean in November, with plans to slaughter 333 minke whales, flouting a worldwide moratorium and opposition led by Australia and New Zealand.The fleet consisted of five ships, three of which arrived on Friday morning at Shimonoseki port in western Japan, the country's Fisheries Agency said.More than 200 people, including crew members and their families, gathered in the rain for a 30-minute ceremony in front of the Nisshin Maru, the fleet's main ship, according to an official of the Shimonoseki city government.In a press release, the agency described the mission as "research for the purpose of studying the ecological system in the Antarctic Sea".Under the International Whaling Commission (IWC), to which Japan is a signatory, there has been a moratorium on hunting whales since 1986.Tokyo exploits a loophole allowing whales to be killed for "scientific research" and claims it is trying to prove the population is large enough to sustain a return to commercial hunting.Japan has hunted whales for centuries, and their meat was a key source of protein in the immediate post-second world war years, when the country was desperately poor. But consumption has dramatically declined in recent decades, with significant proportions of the population saying they "never" or "rarely" eat whale meat.In response to the ICJ ruling, Japan's 2014-15 mission carried out only "non-lethal research" such as taking skin samples and doing headcounts.Past missions have been hampered by a confrontational campaign on the high seas by environmentalists Sea Shepherd. A fisheries agency official said that the whalers this time faced "no obstructive behaviour threatening safety of the fleet and crew members" by the group.He attributed that partially to Japan dispatching patrol ships to protect the fleet.Source: Agence France-Presse</s>The country's Fisheries Agency describes the mission as 'research for the purpose of studying the ecological system in the Antarctic Sea'

TOKYO, Japan – A Japanese whaling fleet returned to port Friday, March 31, after an annual Antarctic hunt that killed more than 300 of the mammals as Tokyo pursues the program in defiance of global criticism.

The fleet set sail for the Southern Ocean in November, with plans to slaughter 333 minke whales, flouting a worldwide moratorium and opposition led by Australia and New Zealand.

The fleet consisted of 5 ships, 3 of which arrived in the morning at Shimonoseki port in western Japan, the country's Fisheries Agency said.

More than 200 people, including crew members and their families, gathered in the rain for a 30-minute ceremony in front of the Nisshin Maru, the fleet's main ship, according to an official of the Shimonoseki City government.

In a press release, the agency described the mission as "research for the purpose of studying the ecological system in the Antarctic Sea".

But environmentalists and the International Court of Justice (IJC) call that a fiction and say the real purpose is simply to hunt whales for their meat.

Anticipating the fleet's return, animal protection charity Humane Society International called for an end to Japanese whaling.

"Each year that Japan persists with its discredited scientific whaling is another year where these wonderful animals are needlessly sacrificed," said Kitty Block, the group's executive vice president.

"It is an obscene cruelty in the name of science that must end," she said in a release.

Japan also caught 333 minke whales in the previous season ending in 2016 after a one-year hiatus prompted by an IJC ruling, which said the hunt was a commercial venture masquerading as science and ordered Tokyo to end it.

Under the International Whaling Commission (IWC), to which Japan is a signatory, there has been a moratorium on hunting whales since 1986.

Tokyo exploits a loophole allowing whales to be killed for "scientific research" and claims it is trying to prove the population is large enough to sustain a return to commercial hunting.

But it also makes no secret of the fact that whale meat ends up on dinner tables and is served up in school lunches.

Japan has hunted whales for centuries, and their meat was a key source of protein in the immediate post-World War II years when the country was desperately poor.

But consumption has dramatically declined in recent decades, with significant proportions of the population saying they "never" or "rarely" eat whale meat.

In response to the ICJ ruling, Japan's 2014-15 mission carried out only "non-lethal research" such as taking skin samples and doing headcounts.

Past missions have been hampered by a confrontational campaign on the high seas by environmentalists Sea Shepherd, though Japan has won some relief from the group through the courts.

A fisheries agency official said that the whalers this time faced "no obstructive behavior threatening safety of the fleet and crew members" by the group.

He attributed that partially to Japan having started dispatching fisheries agency patrol ships to protect the fleet. – Rappler.com</s>TOKYO: Japan's whaling fleet returned on Friday from its months-long Antarctic hunt in the name of scientific research with a take of more than 300 minke whales, a hunt that prompted complaints from Australia.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 2014 that Japan should halt Antarctic whaling and Japan suspended its hunt for one season to re-tool its whaling programme, including measures such as cutting the number of whales and species targeted.

It resumed hunting in the 2015-2016 season.

The final ships of the five-vessel whaling fleet returned to the southwestern port of Shimonoseki, having achieved their goal of 333 minke whales, the Fisheries Agency said.

"Since a majority of both the males and females taken were mature, this indicates that the species is reproducing healthily," it added in a statement.

Japan intends to take nearly 4,000 whales over the next 12 years as part of its research program and has repeatedly said its ultimate goal is the resumption of commercial whaling.

Japan, which has long maintained that most whale species are not endangered and that eating whale is part of its culture, began what it calls "scientific whaling" in 1987, a year after an international whaling moratorium took effect.

The meat ends up on store shelves, even though most Japanese no longer eat it.

Japan has shrugged off repeated international protests, including those from key ally the United States. In January, Australia said it was "deeply disappointed" that Japan had continued its hunt, just days after Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had discussed it with Abe.

The Humane Society International (HSI), an animal protection organisation, condemned the most recent hunt.

"There is no robust scientific case for slaughtering whales," said Kitty Block, HSI executive vice president, in a statement ahead of the fleet's return.

"Commercial whaling in this, or any other disguise, does not meet any pressing human needs and should be relegated to the annals of history."</s>A Japanese fleet comprising five ships returned to port on Friday morning after killing 333 minke whales as part of what it has called “scientific research”. The fleet had flouted a global moratorium when it set sail for the Southern Ocean last November. Japan’s Fisheries Agency said three ships returned on Friday morning.

Japan has made use of a loophole in International Whaling Commission rules that allows only scientific whaling. The Fisheries Agency’s press release called the mission “research for the purpose of studying the ecological system in the Antarctic Sea”. It said its research was focused on the reproductive and nutritional cycles of minke whales. “Since a majority of both the males and females taken were mature, this indicates that the species is reproducing healthily,” Reuters reported the agency as saying.

In 2014, the International Court of Justice had ruled that the country must end all Antarctic whaling. The international moratorium on whaling has been in place since 1984.

Japan, however, appears intent to continue the practice, on the premise that it is conducting research towards its ultimate goal of resuming commercial whaling. The country has maintained for decades that the animal is not endangered and that eating whale is part of Japanese culture. According to Reuters, even though whale meat is still sold in Japan, much of it is no longer consumed.

Japan intends to cull 4,000 more whales over the next 12 years as part of its “research”.</s>Despite an international ban on commercial whale hunting and appeals from animal rights groups, a Japanese fleet has returned to port with the carcasses of 333 whales.

The minke whales were harpooned in the Antarctic Ocean.

Although research whaling is permitted, rights groups say the yearly practice is nothing more than a commercial whaling venture and that the meat is later sold in supermarkets.

Japan has a long history of hunting whales and using them as a source of protein and a cheaper alternative to other meats.

The 8,145-ton Nisshin Maru – the only whaling factory ship in the world – and two catcher vessels arrived at the whaling community port of Shimonoseki, southwest Japan, on Friday. The ships were the last of a five-vessel fleet.

The country’s Fisheries Agency confirmed the fleet had carried out its four-month mission to conduct “research for the purpose of studying the ecological system in the Antarctic Ocean,” reaching its stated goal of killing 333 whales.

“It was great that we have achieved our plan. We will steadily continue our research toward a resumption of commercial whaling,” Shigeto Hase, a Fisheries Agency official, said at a homecoming ceremony attended by some 200 people.

Tokyo’s claim that the annual expedition is undertaken for research purposes allows it to circumvent the International Whaling Commission’s 1986 ban on commercial hunting, to which Japan is a signatory. Research whaling is allowed as an exception.

However, rights groups say the yearly practice is nothing more than a commercial whaling venture, noting that the meat is later sold in supermarkets.

The executive vice president of Humane Society International, Kitty Block, called the expedition an “obscene cruelty in the name of science that must end” in a statement.

She went on to state that there is “no robust scientific case for slaughtering whales,” adding that “commercial whaling in this or any other guise does not meet any pressing human needs and should be relegated to the annals of history.”

The US Congress is preparing a resolution calling for an end to Japanese whaling, which will state that there is no humane way to kill whales and that existing methods – most notably a harpoon that explodes inside the mammal – cause tremendous suffering.

The European Union has also spoken out against the practice, with all member states signing a formal statement of concern in January.

The International Court of Justice also expressed disapproval for the practice in 2014, ruling that the program should end because it wasn’t as scientific as Tokyo claimed.

Although Japan suspended its 2014 hunt to revise its strategy, it resumed it for the 2015-2016 season. Upon renewal of the program, Tokyo had reduced the number of whales and species targeted.

Japan has said it aims to kill nearly 4,000 whales over the next 12 years as part of its research program and has previously stated that its ultimate goal is the resumption of commercial whaling, according to Reuters.
A Japanese fleet returns home after hunting 333 whales in the Antarctic. The Japanese government states that the purpose was for research.