Offstream
news

Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years following the country's withdrawal from the International Whaling Commission. At least 227 whales are expected to be killed through to December.
2019-07-1

In Tokyo, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says his country is “very disappointed” with Japan's decision to resume whaling, but this dispute should not be allowed to hurt the two countries' special strategic ties. Malcolm Turnbull, who replaced Tony Abbott in September, is on his first visit to Japan which will include talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe.
2015-12-18

Australia is threatening to take legal action against Japan over its resumption of its controversial whale hunt in the Antarctic Ocean. A whaling fleet set sail last week, ignoring international condemnation, and last year's ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) prohibiting these hunts.
2015-12-7

Japan advises the International Whaling Commission that it plans to resume hunting minke whales for scientific research in the Antarctic Ocean by the end of March 2016. The United Nations' International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in March 2014 that Japan's decades-old whale hunt in the Antarctic should stop, prompting Tokyo to cancel the bulk of its whaling for the 2014-2015 season. ICJ decisions were binding and cannot be appealed.
2015-11-28

Japan vows to continue its whaling program despite passage of an anti-whaling vote in the International Whaling Commission.
2014-09-19

The United Nations International Court of Justice rules that Japan's Antarctic whaling program is not scientific but commercial and forbids grants of further permits.
2014-03-31

Japan vows to continue its whale hunting despite pressure from environmentalist group Sea Shepherd.
2013-02-22

An earthquake of 6.7 magnitude occurs off the coast of Japan's Iwate prefecture.
2011-06-23

Japan officially suspends its whaling program for the season due to interference by the Sea Shepherd conservation organisation.
2011-02-18

Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada dismisses Australia's threat to take the country to the International Court of Justice over Japan's whaling in the Antarctic.
2010-02-21