A special meeting of the International Whaling Commission begins on Tuesday, with host Japan and like-minded countries hoping the gathering will build momentum to resume commercial hunting of the giant creatures.
Here are some key facts on whaling in Japan:
From hand-harpoons to guns
- Hand-harpoon whaling began as early as the 12th century in Japan, the pro-whaling Japan Whaling Association says.
- Antarctic whaling was initially dominated by Britain and Norway, but by 1969, only Japan and the Soviet Union were whaling in Antarctica.
"Research whaling"
- One year after the IWC's 1982 commercial whaling moratorium came into force in 1986, Japan began its scientific whaling.
- It cites Article VIII of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling as giving the right to take whales for scientific research.
- Iceland and Norway are the only countries to ignore the moratorium and conduct commercial hunts.
Why keep whaling?
- Asking Japan to abandon its whaling culture would be like asking Australians to stop eating meat pies, or the English to give up fish and chips, the Japan Whaling Association says.
- It argues that the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary, established in 1994, only bans commercial, not research, whaling.
Controversy
- Critics say scientific whaling is commercial whaling in disguise. Others say whaling is more of an invented than actual tradition, and is only really supported by a vocal minority of conservative nationalists.
- The Japan Whaling Association says its goal is to answer key questions about whales to better manage them. It says selling whale meat obtained through scientific research is required by a rule stating that research by-products are not wasted.
Public opinion:
- Japan's levels of public support for whaling have been a hotly contested issue in the debate. Conflicting polls have been used by various sides to bolster their arguments.
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