Briefing 
Updated: 
 
Created:   

MEPs set to urge Japan to put its new "scientific whaling" programme on hold 

MEPs are set to urge Japan to put its new Antarctic whaling “research” programme on hold until the International Whaling Commission (IWC) reviews it in September 2016. In a debate on Wednesday, they will point out that the Hague International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in 2014 that Japan's previous "research" whaling programme was not for genuinely scientific purposes. Japan then announced a replacement programme, to start at the end of 2015.

In a 2012 resolution, MEPs said that they "seek to end so-called scientific whaling and support the designation of substantial regions of ocean and seas as sanctuaries in which all whaling is indefinitely prohibited". They also noted that "serious divergences" remained between the EU and Japan on fisheries management and whaling issues.


Procedure: Council statement followed by debate (without resolution)

2012/2711(RSP)

Debate: Wednesday, 20 May

#whales #Japan