Japan defends whale hunts for ‘science’

Japan cancelled its 2014/15 whale hunt, only to resume it the following year, killing an estimated 300-plus animals. -Australian Customs Service/AFP/HO/filepic

PORTOROZ, SLOVENIA: In the crosshairs of anti-whaling nations, Japan defended its annual Southern Ocean whale hunt, insisting it was gathering scientific data even as detractors accused it Thursday of harvesting meat under false pretences.

Japan denied claims at the 66th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) that it was abusing an exemption to a 30-year-old whaling moratorium which allows kills for science.