New Zealand has joined 16 other countries in urging Japan's government to stop killing whales in the Southern Ocean in the name of scientific research.
Two Brazil-led diplomatic protests in Tokyo have also asked Japan to recall its whaling fleet.
Duty Minister Jim Anderton said New Zealand had joined with other countries to denounce the Japanese Whale Research Programme (JARPA II), which is expected to take up to 935 minke whales from the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary this season.
"The New Zealand government is strongly opposed to Japan's 'scientific' whaling programme. There is no scientific justification to use lethal methods to provide information on whale populations," Mr Anderton said.
"Whales are iconic mammals which New Zealanders value highly. Of particular concern are plans by Japan to expand its lethal research programme to include catching and killing endangered humpback and fin whales."
On Monday, representatives of 16 governments met the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The second protest to the Japanese Fisheries Agency took place yesterday.
The nations supporting the diplomatic protest, known as a demarche, are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
- HERALD ONLINE STAFF
NZ in diplomatic protest on whaling
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