Japan lays down gauntlet to anti-whaling nations at Italy meeting

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2004

SORRENTO, Italy (AFP) — Japan said it intended to resume commercial whaling in the Antarctic this year as pro- and anti-whaling nations locked horns at the beginning of the 56th annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

Flexing new-found muscle within the IWC, which is split 50-50 between members for and against a resumption of commercial whaling, Japan was also only narrowly defeated in its annual attempt to introduce a secret ballot at IWC votes.

Calls to end the 18-year whaling moratorium dominated the opening session of the four-day meeting, prompting Japan to make a daring proposal to resume commercial hunting of minke whales in the Antarctic within months.

"Minke whales are extremely abundant in the Southern Ocean -- the population...