Japan Has Singlehandedly Decided Whaling Should Continue

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**Japan is at it again**.

After a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in March 2014 shut down Japan's previous whaling operations for a year, the fleet has returned to the Pacific Ocean to continue its whaling operations.

Japan is able to continue its whaling program by exploiting a loophole in the founding treaty of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), which allows whaling for "scientific research." Japan claims that its new program is purely for research, but the purpose of their so-called research is to pursue "sustainable utilization." Meaning Japan is using the guise of scientific research to explore the ways it can continue to whale commercially.

Japan has an abysmal record in how the whales it kills are used for scientific research. According to findings by the ICJ, from 2005 to 2014, Japan's previous program killed about 3,600 minke whales. The total body of research output from these kills resulted in just two studies based on data on nine whale specimens. This astoundingly small body of research could not justify the slaughter of 3,600 minke whales.

Clearly, Japan is using the guise of scientific research to continue its state-sponsored commercial whaling without regard for the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, the rulings of the International Whaling Commission, or the International Court of Justice. According to _The Diplomat_, whaling is supported in Japan because of its cultural traditions in the practice. But cultural pride alone is not enough to justify inhumane traditions.

Whales need your help to prevent them from being victims of an unnecessary, prideful, and cruel industry. **Tell the International Whaling Commission to close the loophole that allows Japan to flagrantly disregard their moratorium on commercial whaling in the name of lethal scientific research.**