Two vessels have left the port of Hachinohe in northern Japan for “research whaling” off the country’s shores. The hunt will collect what Japanese fishing officials say is scientific data necessary to begin commercial whaling.
A pair of whaling ships left the port of Hachinohe in Aomori prefecture on Tuesday morning, according to the Japan Times citing a whaling group and the country’s Fisheries Agency.
Japanese fishing industry officials said the ships will catch 30 minke whales in the northwestern part of the Pacific until mid-August to study their stomach contents.
« We aim to collect scientific data to be able to begin commercial whaling again, » Yoshifumi Kai of the Association for Community-Based Whaling said at the ceremony marking the ships’ departure.
The next stage of whaling in the area will begin later in the fall, the newspaper said.
Despite international condemnation, in early July Japan passed a controversial law that promotes resuming commercial whaling.
