Global News - December 2007

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Australian set to 'closely monitor' Japanese whaling

Mon 17 December 2007 13:30 UK — Australasia,Marine Wildlife

Australia's government has announced it is still prepared to send either ships or aircraft to monitor a Japanese fleet set to begin whaling in Antarctic waters.

The newly-installed Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, refused to rule out using either method to allow the country to launch a legal challenge at the International Court of Justice, in The Hague, against Japan's plans to hunt minke, fin and humpback whales.

He also again cast doubt on the Japanese government's assertion that the fleet's whaling was purely for research purposes.

"We haven't ruled out the use of Australian assets for the purposes of collecting photographic evidence in support of a possible future international legal case against the Japanese on whaling," Mr Rudd told ABC.

"I'm fully aware of the depth and strength of our bilateral diplomatic relationship with Japan," he added. "I'm equally aware of the fact that no one seriously believes this is whaling for scientific purposes."

In total the Japanese fleet plans to hunt more than 1,000 whales, including 50 humpback whales – the first time the species will have been hunted since it was protected in 1966 after being driven close to extinction, Reuters reported.

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