Japan to push ahead with humpback whale hunt - AFP

[Eugene]

Source: Agence France-Presse

Japan to push ahead with humpback whale hunt

by P. Parameswaran
2 hours, 10 minutes ago

ANCHORAGE, United States (AFP) - Japan said Tuesday it was
pushing ahead with its controversial plan to hunt humpback whales
after key powers refused a compromise offer and despite warnings
by Australia and New Zealand it would be a "provocative act."

"Japan is proceeding with its full research program as planned at
this stage and this includes the humpbacks," Glenn Inwood, the
spokesman for the Japanese delegation at the annual talks of the
International Whaling Commission (IWC), told AFP.

His remarks came as Australia, New Zealand, Britain and the United
States held talks on the issue with Japan on the sidelines of the
four-day meeting which began in Anchorage, Alaska on Monday.
Officials said there was no breakthrough.

-snip-

Japan wants to kill 50 humpbacks this summer, from stocks that
migrate along the coasts of Australia and New Zealand into the
tropical Pacific, under its whale scientific research program.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070530/sc_afp/environmentwhalingiwc_070530053142

[Ladyhawk]

1. What justification is there for this???

After seeing these creatures so many times in person, I have a hard time understanding why someone would want to kill one. Humpbacks are my favorite baleen whales.