After Lifting 30-Year Commercial Whaling Ban, Japan Catches Its First Whale

On Monday (1 July) evening, BBC News reported that a boat with a 8-metre whale onboard returned to shore and was immediately sent to the port to be weighted. Reportedly, another boat caught another whale but there has not been any confirmation.

According to the news portal, the whaling ships have a permit to catch a total of 227 whales - 52 minke, 150 Bryde's and 25 sei whales.

Japan's fisheries ministry said the culling of these whales are for "scientific research purposes". According to this report, Japan has killed between 200 and 1,200 whales annually since 1987.

On top of that, Japan maintains that hunting and eating whales are part of its culture.

While environmentalists and nature enthusiasts are arguing that whales are facing extinction, Japan stands firm with its decision, saying only certain whale species face the threat.

Commercial whaling was banned in a 1986 International Whaling Commission moratorium, but Japan withdrew from the IWC in December 2018.