Thank You Australia! There Will Be No More Whale Hunting In Japan
March 31, 2014
wikipedia commons
The UN's top court has ruled that Japan's whaling hunt in the Southern Ocean is not a scientific program as Tokyo has always claimed.
"The court concludes that the special permits granted by Japan for the killing, taking and treating of whales in connection with JARPA II are not for purposes of scientific research," President Peter Tomka told the International Court of Justice in The Hague on Monday.
The court ruled Tokyo should cease its whaling program "with immediate effect".
The ICJ, by 12 votes to four, said Japan hadn't acted in compliance with its obligations under the international whaling convention.
Australia had asked the 16-judge panel to ban Japan's annual hunt on the basis it was not "for purposes of scientific research" as allowed under Article 8 of the 1946 International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling.
Canberra argued Tokyo was cloaking a commercial whaling operation "in the lab coat of science" despite agreeing to a 1980s ban on harpooning.
Japan, however, countered during a three-week hearing in mid-2013 that the ICJ didn't have the authority to decide what was, or wasn't, science. It insisted lethal research was both lawful and necessary.
The court on Monday dismissed Tokyo's argument.
Source: SBS.com
Click Here For The Most Popular On Sunny Skyz
Teacher Gets Hilariously Embarrassed After Dressing Up For World Book Day… Only To Find No One Else Did!
Man Uses Clever Code To Ensure Only The Real Owner Could Contact Him
Keanu Reeves Shares A Wholesome Fun Fact That No One Knew About Him
Why Kids In This Japanese Town Are Obsessed With Trading Cards Of Local Grandpas
Florida Woman Finds 4 Adorable Baby Owls In Her Backyard Owl Box
Why You Should Stop Waking Up To Your Phone’s Alarm, According To New Research
Jack Black’s Biggest Fan, 'Love On The Spectrum' Star Tanner Smith, Gets The Surprise Of A Lifetime
This Birthday Party For A Walrus Is Going Viral
The Dog Was Lost For Weeks. This Was The Cat's Reaction When He Finally Came Home
The 'Old Man Challenge' Goes Viral – Can You Do It?
Woman Scolds Random Kookaburra And His Response Has Everyone Laughing
