Japanese government to investigate whale meat scandal (UPDATED)

551 whales too many

After five months at sea, the Nisshin Maru arrived in Japan today having taken around half the number of whales from the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary as planned, but still 551 whales too many.

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International law broken to pursue whaling

The international convention that helped save the elephant and rhino from extinction at the hands of poachers is now being ignored by the Japanese Fisheries Agency to continue whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

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Whalers' plans to take 985 whales foiled

Japanese whalers have announced that they are struggling to harpoon their quota this year. As the season draws to a close, they have caught less than half the 985 whales they targeted.

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100% of Japanese taxpayers support whaling - they just don't know it

Every year the Japanese government spends US$ 4.7 million of taxpayers' money to subsidise the whaling industry. Yet a new, Greenpeace commissioned, opinion poll reveals that 87 percent of the Japanese public are unaware of that fact.

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Japan resumes scandalous whale hunt

The Japanese whaling fleet has again defied world opinion and resumed whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

The Australian Customs vessel, the Oceanic Viking, reports that the Fisheries Agency of Japan’s whaling fleet has killed at least five whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

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Does Canon support shooting whales?

Having saved over 100 whales by pursuing the Japanese whaling fleet's factory ship for over 5,000 miles,keeping it and the rest of the fleet out of action for 14 days, the Greenpeace ship Esperanza has run low on fuel and must return to port. Yet, as our ship heads to Hobart, Australia, the campaign to save the whales is far from over.

We're focused on shooting whales... with cameras. But we were surprised to learn that Canon, the world's number one digital camera producer, isn't willing to condemn using harpoons -- despite their high-profile advertising and sponsorship programmes dedicated to wildlife and endangered species.

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Humpbacks to be spared the harpoon -- for now

The Japanese government has confirmed a rumour first reported at the Greenpeace weblog, that they have abandoned plans to kill humpback whales in the Southern Ocean this season.

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Is Japan secretly planning to build a new whaling ship?

All around the world, increasing numbers of people and governments are urging Japan to give up its whaling operations in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Back in Japan however, there is evidence that plans are emerging to build a brand new whaling factory ship which would extend whaling for decades to come.