Japan's scientific whaling programme in the Antarctic is not "for purposes of scientific research", and therefore must stop. That is the ruling by the International Court of Justice, the highest United Nations court, today in The Hague, the Netherlands.
Australia was suing Japan over the issue of commercial whaling, which is banned under the international whaling treaty of 1986. Japan insisted its whaling activities were carried out to gain scientific understanding of whale stocks needed to resume whaling, which is legal under the treaty. Both countries say they will abide by today's judgement. There is no appeal.
The court did not rule whether the whales, whose meat is sold to cover the costs of the hunt, were caught commercially or not. But it cited evidence – supported by Japan's own expert witness – that catch sizes were not set to meet scientific objectives. Rather, said court president Peter Tomka, a desire for certain catch sizes seemed to have determined the scientific plan, "rather than the other way around".
Now the whales – and the whaling treaty – may depend on what Japan does next. Statements by Japanese officials during the hearings suggested THAT Japan might leave the International Whaling Commission – the body governing world whaling. That might irrevocably weaken global protection of whales.
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