(ANSA) - TOKYO, APRIL 03 - Japan resumes whaling for commercial purposes, for the third consecutive year, after the withdrawal from the International Commission for Beef Hunting (Iwc), which took place in 2019. Four ships set sail at the early hours of sunrise from the cities of Hachinohe and Ishinomaki, respectively in the prefectures of Aomori and Miyagi, north of the archipelago.
Another whaler will join them in the month of June from the northernmost island of Hokkaido, the National Agency that encompasses fishermen's cooperatives reported.
The ships aim to catch 120 fin whales on the coast of Sanriku, on the northeastern side of the country, in the next two months, before moving to Hokkaido until the end of October.
The Tokyo government had to stop hunting whales for commercial purposes in 1982, in compliance with the amoratorium adopted by the IWC, however since 1987 the Japanese boats have continued to suppress small quotas of whales for issues that the government defines as 'related to scientific research'.
According to some experts, behind the motivation of the Japanese authorities lies the desire to support the whale meat industry which, even today - despite the sudden heat of sales, is considered an alternative and cheap source of protein.
(HANDLE).
