INTERVIEW-Tokyo says whaling meeting could seal fate of IWC
Source: Reuters
By Elaine Lies TOKYO, Jan 29 (Reuters) - The fate of the International Whaling Commission could be sealed by a Tokyo meeting in February aimed easing confrontation between feuding sides of the body, a senior Japanese fisheries official said on Monday. Japan and other pro-whaling nations want to return the polarised group to what they say are its roots as an organisation that manages -- rather than bans -- commercial whaling. Some 26 anti-whaling nations, including Australia and the United States, plan to boycott the Feb. 13-15 meeting. "This is not just another new simple trick or tactic. I think this is a final attempt on our side to save this organisation," Japan's alternate as an IWC representative or "commissioner", Joji Morishita, told Reuters. "If this fails we need to think about other measures very seriously." The IWC, which presides over the fate of some of the earth's largest creatures, instituted a commercial whaling ban in 1986. But the group is bitterly divided between countries that insist all whales still need to be protected, such as Britain, Australia and New Zealand, and others such as Japan that say some species are sufficiently abundant to be hunted. Japan, which says eating whale meat is a cherished cultural tradition, has killed thousands of whales since 1987 under its scientific whaling programme. It agrees endangered species must be protected but argues that others, such as minke, are abundant enough for limited whaling. Iceland and Norway, which although they are IWC members conduct commercial whaling in defiance of the moratorium, agree with Japan that the IWC was formed to manage commercial whaling, not as a conservation group. Japanese politicians have said quitting the IWC cannot be ruled out if nothing changes, and Morishita said time may well be running out even if Japan does not leave right away. "I cannot see any point to continue or to go back to the same structure or the same mindset as before the normalisation meeting even if the normalisation meeting fails," he said, referring to the gathering this month. All 72 IWC members have been invited, but the conference is being held at Japan's initiative not an official IWC event, a distinction Tokyo says could help the group break out of the feuding common at its annual meetings. "Our intention is to try and have a more diplomatic and polite meeting," Morishita said. "The meetings within the IWC always give us the usual business of confrontation." Morishita said he hopes some of the recommendations to be made at the Tokyo conference will find favour with anti-whaling countries at the IWC annual meeting this May in Anchorage. If not, Japan may have to try another tack, he said, but stopped short of saying Tokyo would walk. "Whatever is decided by the Anchorage meeting will probably trigger the next step" for Japan, Morishita said. "Something will happen this summer."
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