Countries for and against whaling will clash over Japan's intention to continue hunting in the Antarctic next year despite a ruling by the top U.N. court.
Japan cancelled its 2014/15 season, but is expected to present a new plan during a four-day meeting at the International Whaling Commission this week in the Slovenian Adriatic Sea resort of Portoroz.
Whaling for research purposes is exempt from the 1986 international ban on commercial whaling. Hapan says it will only conduct additional hunts on that basis, according to the Associated Press.
"The whaling commission is long overdue to adopt reforms that will protect whales from so-called scientific hunts, which are in reality, a cover for the harvesting of whale meat," said Aimee Leslie, head of green group WWF's delegation at the meeting, according to AFP.
In March, the International Court of Justice determined that Japan's program wasn't scientific and must stop.
Approval from the IWC isn't mandatory, though Japan would likely face intense scrutiny over whether it complies with the court ruling if they tried to resume whaling in the Antarctic.
"We are dealing with some contentious issues and the positions of the countries at the meeting remain far apart," said Ryan Wulff, deputy US commissioner to the IWC, AFP reported.
Australia said this weekend that it will back New Zealand's bid to have the commission adopt a court ruling banning Japan's scientific whaling program.
"Australia will vote to make sure there's a permanent ban on whaling and to uphold the International Court of Justice decision," said Environment Minister Greg Hunt, according to ABC News.
"This time we come armed with an ICJ decision and our hope and our belief is this is the moment when the world can respectfully work to end the practice of commercial whaling or scientific whaling, which has been justified whereas in reality it's simply commercial whaling by another name," he added.
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