The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that Japan must stop its whaling programme in the Southern Ocean.
Australia brought the case against Japan in 2010, claiming that the programme was not for scientific research and was really just commercial whaling in disguise.
The Court ruled that Japan's whaling programme in the Southern Ocean was not for scientific purposes, and the amount of whales being killed was not justifiable in the name of science.
It ruled that Japan must revoke any authorisation, permit or licence to kill, take or treat whales in relation to its scientific whaling programme, JARPA II, and refrain from granting any further permits under the programme.
Japan has said that it is disappointed with the decision, but that it will abide by the ruling.
John Frizell, Greenpeace International whales campaign coordinator said: “We welcome this outcome which vindicates our view that whaling in the Southern Ocean is not necessary for science and should be ended. We urge Japan to abide by this decision, scrap the factory ship Nisshin Maru and not attempt to continue whaling by amending the program and claiming it is now scientific.”
Greenpeace has warned that it will continue to monitor Japan’s scientific whaling to ensure that it do not find any more loopholes to hunt whales.
