Japan slowly moves towards commercial whaling

[Paul Ward]

"Pro-whaling nations have secured their first major victory at the International Whaling Commission at St Kitts in the Caribbean.

Japan has won a majority vote on a declaration that instructs the Commission to return its focus to culling, not conservation, and could see a move towards the resumption of commercial whaling for the first time in 20 years.

The meeting backed the resolution by a majority of just one, delivering Japan the outcome it had been working towards since the talks began."
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/con...6/s1666352.htm

It was a very slim majority, 33-32 and a couple of abstentions.

Japan has cynically worked to resume whaling in recent years by recruiting smaller Carribean and Pacific nations in a votes-for-aid process, so that Japan's purposes can be suited by "democratic" means at meeting of the IWC.

Commercial whaling is not going to resume immediately, a 3/4 majority is required - but it looks to be getting ever closer.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...19/ixnews.html