"Japan Plans New Antarctic Whale Hunt, But Vows To Slash Quota"

"Japan on Tuesday unveiled plans to resume whale hunting in the Southern Ocean despite an international court ruling that previous hunts were illegal, but said it would slash the quota for the so-called scientific whaling program.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled earlier this year that Japan's decades-old whale hunt should stop - a ruling that Tokyo was urged to heed in September by the international body that oversees whales.

The new plan, which a Fisheries Agency official said was drawn up in line with suggestions contained in the court ruling, calls for hunting 333 minke whales, down from some 900 in Japan's previous whaling plans, in the 2015-2016 season."

Elaine Lies reports for Reuters November 19, 2014.

Source: Reuters, 11/19/2014