RelatedStories
 |
| Japan cut short its whaling season last year because of harassment by anti-whaling activists |
Japan hasused funds from its tsunami recovery budget to subsidise its controversialannual whaling programme, animal rights activists say.
Greenpeacesays 2.3bn yen ($30m; £19m) is being used to fund extra security measures forthe whaling fleet.
Japaneseofficials argued when they applied for extra funding that whaling helpedcoastal communities.
The whalingfleet reportedly headed for Antarctic waters this week, though Tokyo has notconfirmed the reports.
There hasbeen a ban on commercial whaling for 25 years, but Japan catches about 1,000whales each year in what it says is a scientific research programme.
Critics saythose claims are just a cover for a commercial operation, and accuse theJapanese of hunting the animals to the brink of extinction only for food.
Militantanti-whaling groups attack the fleet every year, and last year forced theJapanese to abandon its programme before it was completed.
Earlierthis year, the Japanese Fisheries Agency applied to the government for extrafunding for its programme from the emergency budget aimed at helpingcommunities recover from the devastating tsunami and earthquake.
The agencyargued that some of the towns and villages affected relied on whaling for theirlivelihoods.
Activistssay the agency's funding request was approved and it has spent the money onextra security and covering its debts.
JunichiSato, from Greenpeace Japan, told Australia's ABC that there was no linkbetween the whaling programme and the tsunami recovery.
"It issimply used to cover the debts of the whaling programme, because the whalingprogramme itself has been suffering from big financial problems," he said.
TheAustralian and New Zealand governments have both criticised Japan's decision tocontinue whaling.
They areboth considering sending vessels to monitor the whaling fleet.
Meanwhile,activists from the militant Sea Shepherd group have promised that they willcarry on their campaign against the whaling fleet.
Related Article:
 |
| A Japanese ship injures a whale with its first harpoon. Photograph: Kate Davidson/EPA/Corbis |
