Japan under pressure over past hunting of endangered whales

Japan has insisted that it longer hunts endangered sei whales in international waters, but faced accusations of still violating a wildlife treaty by allowing commercialisation of meat from past catches.

standing committee of Convention on International Tre in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) last October found Japan in breach of treaty and ordered it to rectify situation or face tre sanctions.

elected panel, which handles treaty's compliance and enforcement, dismissed Japan's claims that cull since 2002 of some 1,500 rth Pacific sei whales was only scientifically motivated.

RE| Man Shouting ‘You Die’ Kills Nearly 30 At Japan Anime Studio

Inste, it found that hunt was primarily commercially motivated, and thus constituted international tre in a protected species and a clear violation of treaty.

Japan told committee meeting in Geneva on Friday that it longer permits hunting of sei whale on high sea and is refore in compliance with CITES.

"This matter should be considered closed," a member of Japanese delegation said, a day before a global conference of all 183 countries that have signed treaty kicks off in Geneva.

But committee members from a range of countries, including European Union, Israel, Niger, Peru, and United States, disagreed.

Many voiced outrs at continued sale of meat and blubber from whales deemed to have been illegally culled and imported over a 16-year period.

According to conservationists, 1,500 tonnes of meat from 131 sei whales killed in 2018 alone have been commercialised in Japan, and sei whale meat remains widely available in shops and restaurants in country.

RE| Rare Photo Captures Sea Lion Falling Into Mouth Of Whale