WASHINGTON DC (11 Jan 2001) -- The United States and Japan have agreed to request that the International Whaling Commission (IWC) Science Committee convene an international workshop. At issue will be Japan's policy of so-called "scientific" whaling. Japan kills over 400 whales a year under the guise of scientific whaling, however, it is widely known that the whales end up on plates in up-scale Japanese sushi bars. Differences over whaling flared up again last year when Japan bought votes from six Caribbean nations including Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and St. Vincent to defeat a proposal to establish a whale sanctuary in the South Pacific. The conflict intensified and nearly set off a trade war when later in the year, Japan started hunting endangered Bryde and Sperm whales for the first time in 13 years. In response to international protests, Japan's Fisheries Agency put an environmental spin on the hunt claiming that the whale hunting had to be expanded to "study" habitat, diet and migration patterns of the whales and to "protect" fish. As international pressure increased, Japan increased its rhetoric accusing the US of cultural chauvinism and excessive emotionalism, and the international community of stripping Japan of its culture and heritage. | |
According to US Commerce Secretary Norman Mineta, the only question is whether lethal research is legitimate or necessary and that 14 members of the International Whaling Commission believe it is not. Mineta said he welcomed Japan's decision to join Washington in requesting the IWC to convene a workshop on research whaling early this year. The workshop is expected to be held later this year and completed in time to submit a report before the annual IWC meeting in 2002. © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORK |
