Japan Hosts Meeting to Normalize Whaling Commission

The Government of Japan today begins a three-day meeting to discuss options for resolving ingrained problems with the International Whaling Commission.

Japan’s deputy Whaling Commissioner, Joji Morishita, said the meeting was called in good faith for all IWC members to discuss the serious problems that are preventing the IWC from operating as a normal international resource management organization.

Japan is actively exploring all avenues to bring the IWC back to a working body and to find ways that will end the dysfunctional nature of it. We do not believe there is any future with two groups of parties talking past each other and nothing of any significance ever being achieved, Mr Morishita said.

“We have invited all IWC members to participate and we hope that as many as possible will attend. There are members on both sides of the whaling debate who don’t believe the IWC is working as it should and we invite them to come and discuss this.

“This meeting is not about binding anyone to any particular view. It is about exploring ideas and methods by which the IWC can move forward.

While some countries have said they would boycott the meeting, Mr Morishita said it was regrettable that they have denied open-mind dialogue.

“Some countries may not be ready to move forward, and that’s for them to decide. Everyone at the IWC knows there are serious problems with the organisation, but to ignore those problems and refuse good faith dialogue is not the answer. Like any relationship, if problems are left unattended, it generally leads to divorce, Mr Morishita said.

“The Whaling Commission has a mandate to regulate and monitor sustainable whaling throughout the world, but has failed to do so because some members are philosophically opposed to hunting whales. We are hoping to find ways through these differences to bring the organisation back to working body, he said.

ENDS

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