Japan advocates hunting whales

Most anti-whaling countries boycott this meeting.

The BBC's Chris Hogg in Tokyo says the question is whether it can protect whales from being killed by marine hunters. The question is simple but causes a lot of controversy. The Japanese government thinks it is necessary to allow hunting for commercial purposes. They invited members of the International Whale Commission to Tokyo to discuss whether it was possible to switch modes of operation.

The committee will no longer be a ban on hunting whales but will be the organ of managing hunting.

In the opening speech, the chairman of the conference Kuniwo Nakamura, who came from a small Pacific island called Palau, called for a new method: "Countries should avoid repeating the controversies that cause divisions. in the international whale committee. "

Japan said it would be necessary to allow hunting for commercial purposes (Photo: AP) "We should discuss and take concrete measures to convert the committee's function into a resource-based organization. based on international treaties on whales. "

Boycott and warning

But the Japanese delegation knows that the boycott of most anti-whaling countries will affect their plans. The conservative organization in the environmental issue is Greenpeace welcoming the decision of the boycott of the conference.

But Shane Rattenbury, a Greenpeace spokesman, warned that it was not reassuring: "Regardless of whether people have restricted orders for whale hunting, regardless of whether the whale sanctuary is present, now The trend toward whaling is increasing. "

"That is no surprise and this year we can see steps to remove whale protection on the International Commission for Whales. You know if whale hunters become factions. most of them will act quickly to increase the number of whales they kill every year. "

Japan hopes that discussions in Tokyo will lead to a draft of the committee reform. At least in enclosed rooms and corridors there are suggestions to facilitate countries to vote in favor of the council.

The real diplomatic war will take place in a few weeks, at the International Whale Commission's annual meeting in Alaska.