Agriculture, Fisheries and Forest

December 11, 2015

1. Japan developed the New Scientific Whale Research Program in the Antarctic Ocean (NEWREP-A) taking account of the Judgment of the International Court of Justice in March 2014.

  • The evidence does not establish that design and implementation of the Second Phase of Japan’s Whale Research Program under Special Permit in the Antarctic (JARPAII) are reasonable in relation to achieving its research objectives and are not “for purposes of scientific research” as prescribed by the provisions of Article VIII, paragraph 1, of the International Convention for Regulation of Whaling. (See paragraphs 227 and 247(2) of the ICJ Judgment)
  • It is to be expected that Japan will take account of the reasoning and conclusions contained in this Judgment as it evaluates the possibility of granting any future permits under Article VIII, paragraph 1, of the Convention. (See paragraph 246 of the ICJ Judgment)

2. In accordance with the International Convention for Regulation of Whaling (ICRW)*2, Japan submitted the proposed plan of NEWREP-A to the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in November 2014. The proposed plan was discussed at the Scientific Committee in May-June 2015. As a result of the discussions, the Scientific Committee indicated that it would be necessary for Japan to undertake additional works and analyses (Attachment 1).

Main items pointed out by the IWC’s Scientific Committee (SC) in relation to Resolution 2014-5 and Japan’s planed responses (PDF)Open a New Window

Paragraph 30 of the Schedule to the ICRW provides that a Contracting Government shall provide the Secretary to the International Whaling Commission with proposed scientific permits before they are issued and in sufficient time to allow the Scientific Committee to review and comment on them.

3. As a result of additional work and analyses by Japanese scientists, the Government of Japan assessed that all of the items pointed out by the Scientific Committee that needed to be conducted prior to the start of NEWREP-A had been completed. Therefore, Japan finalized the plan (Attachment 2) and decided to implement the plan from this austral summer.

4. All of the results of additional work and analyses including those in Attachment 1 will be reported to the Scientific Committee Meeting scheduled in June 2016.


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