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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Australia-Japan whaling case in international court | Australia-Japan whaling case in international court |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Public hearings are under way in The Hague as Australia and Japan take their fight over whaling to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). | |
| Australia will argue that Tokyo's scientific research programme - under which it kills whales - is commercial whaling in disguise. | |
| Japan - which aims to catch up to 1,000 whales each year - says it is ready to defend its right to conduct research. | Japan - which aims to catch up to 1,000 whales each year - says it is ready to defend its right to conduct research. |
| There has been a ban on commercial whaling since 1986. | There has been a ban on commercial whaling since 1986. |
| Australia initiated the legal action at the top UN court in 2010. | Australia initiated the legal action at the top UN court in 2010. |
| 'Halted' | 'Halted' |
| Japan's whaling fleet leaves for the Southern Ocean in November or December each year, with a quota of of minke whales and fin whales whales to catch for what it says are scientific research purposes. Meat from the whales is sold commercially. | Japan's whaling fleet leaves for the Southern Ocean in November or December each year, with a quota of of minke whales and fin whales whales to catch for what it says are scientific research purposes. Meat from the whales is sold commercially. |
| In recent years, catches have fallen substantially, mainly because of disruption techniques employed by anti-whaling activists. | In recent years, catches have fallen substantially, mainly because of disruption techniques employed by anti-whaling activists. |
| Canberra alleges that the research programme breaches international laws and has no relevance to marine conservation. It says more than 10,000 whales have been killed under the programme. | Canberra alleges that the research programme breaches international laws and has no relevance to marine conservation. It says more than 10,000 whales have been killed under the programme. |
| "Australia's views on whaling are well established. We strongly oppose all commercial whaling, including so-called 'scientific' whale hunting by Japan," said Attorney-General Markus Dreyfus, who is representing Australia in court. | |
| "We want to see the practice halted once and for all." | "We want to see the practice halted once and for all." |
| Tokyo says there are cultural reasons behind the annual hunt and that its whaling is sustainable. It also argues that its research provides information on whale stocks with a view to re-examining the ban on commercial whaling in the future. | Tokyo says there are cultural reasons behind the annual hunt and that its whaling is sustainable. It also argues that its research provides information on whale stocks with a view to re-examining the ban on commercial whaling in the future. |
| "Japan will fully engage with the case so that the country's position and thinking will be understood," Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said. | "Japan will fully engage with the case so that the country's position and thinking will be understood," Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said. |
| New Zealand is supporting Australia at the ICJ and the court's decision is considered legally binding. | |
| The hearings will last for several days but a judgement is not expected for several months. | The hearings will last for several days but a judgement is not expected for several months. |