Japan criticizes countries boycotting whaling conferenceThe Associated Press
Published: February 12, 2007
TOKYO: Japan opened an international whaling conference Tuesday by blasting a boycott
by dozens of anti-whaling nations, saying their absence would block much-needed reforms
of the International Whaling Commission.
The conference, which Japan called as part of its push to resume commercial whaling,
was attended by only about 35 of the 72 members of the IWC. The boycotters included
anti-whaling countries Britain, Australia and the United States.
The boycott illustrates the intense divide over Japan's whaling program as anti-hunt
protesters have clashed — sometimes violently — in recent days with Japanese whaling
ships in the South Pacific.
Minoru Morimoto, Japan's IWC representative, told the conference that the boycott made
it "almost impossible" to have a worthwhile discussion on reforming the IWC, which Japan
argues should manage commercial whaling rather than banning it outright.
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