Japan resumes commercial whaling

Japan has resumed commercial hunting for the first time in more than three decades, following Tokyo’s controversial decision to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC)


Jul 1: Five whaling ships leave Kushiro and three leave Shimonoseki – they will kill 227 whales in EEZ through to December

Since 1987, Japan has killed from 200 to 1,200 whales per year using IWC exemption to conduct “research”
hunts in Antarctic


Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

Overlapping claim with other countries

Whaling communities

Shimonoseki
Ishinomaki
Hachinohe
Abashiri
Kushiro
JAPAN
Tokyo
Minamiboso
Taiji
EEZ
PACIFIC OCEAN
400km 250 miles


2019 QUOTA
Minke Whale 52
Length: 8-9m Weight: 5-10 tonnes
Status: Least concern

Bryde’s Whale 150
11-14m 16-20 tonnes
Least concern

Sei Whale 25
14-20m 20-45 tonnes
Endangered


Sources: marineregions.org, IUCN Red List, WWF 
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