Japanese whalers have faced a fresh attack by activists from the conservation group- Sea Shepherd during an Antarctic mission, a Japanese whaling body claimed this week. Anti-whaling campaigners aboard the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's Gojira speedboat threw glass bottles at the Yushin Maru-2 and threw ropes aimed at its propeller, said the Institute of Cetacean Research, which organizes Japan's whaling mission.The Japanese ship claims it issued warnings to the activists' boat and none of the Japanese whalers were hurt in a statement made through the institute which controls Japan's whaling industry.The clash followed an earlier attack by the Sea Shepherd's other ships Steve Irwin and Bob Barker against the Japanese whaling ship Yushin Maru-3 in Antarctic waters on New Year's Day.
Anti-whaling nations, led by Australia and New Zealand, and environmental groups have long criticized Japan for its whale hunts, describing them as cruel and unnecessary.However, Japanese officials and whalers have argued that whaling is an important part of Japanese culture.
Japan kills hundreds of whales a year under a loophole in the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling that allows lethal research. Meanwhile, a conservation report said Japan's whale meat stocks likely hit a record level of more than 6,000 tonnes last year, suggesting it is becoming less popular with consumers.
The Iruka & Kujira (Dolphin & Whale) Action Network and journalist Junko Sakuma estimate that the stockpile could have reached 6,125 tonnes, higher than the previous record of 5,969 tones set in April 2006, Kyodo News said.The data, if true, might reflect falling demand for whale meat, Kyodo said.
Loud and violent protests by Western activists have fuelled Japanese public opposition to the anti-whaling movement.
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