Hundreds of Whales Killed for ‘Scientific Research’ in Japan

A Japanese research fleet has killed hundreds of whales, including pregnant ones, in the name of scientific research. According to a report, Japanese researchers have killed more than 300 whales for a scientific research in the Antarctic.

Commercial hunting of whales has been banned by the United Nations (UN) since 1986, but that does not include the killing of whales for scientific research. While the Japanese researchers have claimed that they killed the pregnant whales to determine the age of maturity of the whales, many have pointed to the fact that the leftover meat is actually sold in the market.

It has been reported that Japanese boats have been into whaling for quite a long time. The leftover meat actually ends up on the plates of whale meat lovers and many doubt that the research tag is just for show. The intentions of Japanese researchers seems doubtful as killing of 333 whale carcasses don't justify the little reason to study the maturity age of whales.

A UN International Court of Justice, or ICJ, had banned such whaling practices in 2014. The court has questioned the legitimacy of such scientific research processes where a big chunk of the subjects wound up on diners' plates. Whale meat is a popular delicacy in Japan, and the restaurants continue selling it even when it has been actually banned by the UN.

The actual reason for killing so many pregnant whales have been unclear and the UN has noted that Japanese boats have been overdoing research, killing enormous number of whales in the Antarctic and justifying the killings by tagging it as a scientific process.

It is unknown whether the UN is going to take any initiative to stop killing the whales, but the hunting has brought worldwide attention to see and judge such whaling practices that could threaten the existence of whales in the Antarctic.