Japan to provide escort for whalers

Oct 4, 2011, 10:18 GMT

Tokyo - Japanese authorities were to provide for the first time an escort ship for their whaling fleet in the Antarctic Ocean this season, the fisheries minister said Tuesday.

Michihiko Kano's comments indicated Japan intended to continue its criticized whaling this season.

'We intend to continue to assert our country's thinking,' Kano said, brushing aside ongoing criticism from anti-whaling groups and some countries that oppose the whaling that Japan says is for research purposes.

The whaling ships are to set sail in November, accompanied by a boat from the fisheries agency to protect the whalers against attacks from activists.

In February, Japan ended whaling earlier than usual because of increased interference from the anti-whaling Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

Sea Shepherd said in a statement Friday that the group would return to the Antarctic Ocean with a 'stronger anti-whaling fleet in early December 2011 to protect the great whales.'

'We will undertake whatever risks to our lives will be required to stop this invasion of arrogant greed into what is an established sanctuary for the whales,' the group said.

Japan officially halted commercial whaling in 1987, complying with an international moratorium.

But it has hunted an estimated 35,000 whales since then under a clause allowing them to be killed for scientific research.