Japan's whaling fleet leaves for northwest Pacific Ocean

KITAKYUSHU (Kyodo) - Whaling vessels left the ports of Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and Habu in Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, on Saturday to conduct scientific research in the northwest Pacific Ocean through late August.
The three-vessel fleet led by the Nisshin Maru plans to capture 260 minke and other types of whales to study their stomach contents, DNA and other information, according to the Institute of Cetacean Research, which is conducting the hunt.
The fleet returned to Japan in February after halting its purported scientific mission in the Antarctic Ocean that started in December after being obstructed by the antiwhaling group Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
Since the March 11 quake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan, the vessels had been assisting transporting goods to the disaster-hit area.
The Tokyo-based institute said it would be its 18th scientific expedition to take place in the northwestern Pacific. The institute said there has been no instance of obstructive activities in this part of the ocean so far, but added it is on high alert, saying that the situation cannot automatically be considered safe.
On Feb. 18, Japan halted its so-called research whaling in the Antarctic Ocean for the season, which had been due to run until March, because of obstruction by Sea Shepherd.
Japan has hunted whales since 1987 for what it says are scientific research purposes after officially halting commercial whaling in line with an international moratorium. Environmentalists condemn the activity as a cover for the continuation of commercial whaling.
The International Whaling Commission at its annual meeting last June discussed a proposal to allow Japan to hunt whales in Japanese coastal areas in exchange for a reduction of its annual catch limit for research whaling, but the proposal was deferred.