Japanese vessels have returned from their annual whale hunt, having killed nearly 200 whales as part of their stipulated ‘quota.’ Despite the fact that whaling is banned under the International Whaling Commission (IWC), Japan has violated this ruling for years by making use of a legal loophole, claiming that the hunts are done in the name of scientific research.
Of the nearly 200 whales the Japanese whalers slaughtered off the island of Hokkaido, 134 are endangered Sei whales. Japan’s Fisheries Agency claims that the stomach contents will be researched “among other things” to satisfy the requirements of the IWC’s loophole. However, it is likely that the meat from these whales will later be sold in markets, leading many to suspect that Japan is using the claim of conducting scientific research as a cover for commercial whaling.
The current chair of the IWC has claimed that the Japanese have a right to the consumption of whale meat as a cultural tradition, even though whaling is a serious threat to the survival of many species, including the Sei whale. Sign this petition to demand that the commission put an end to this legal loophole and prevent Japan from killing these whales in the future.
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