The International Court of Justice in The Hague rightly ordered Japan to stop its current whaling program in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary around Antarctica, a large reserve established by the International Whaling Commission. The United Nations’ highest court came down clearly on the side of conservation and international opinion. The court ruled that Japan’s whaling is not scientific research and does not justify the number of whales killed. The suit, brought by Australia, showed that since 2005 there were only two peer-reviewed papers based on research of just nine killed whales. Meanwhile, some 3,600 minke whales have been killed since 2005. The court suggested that Japan’s whaling is commercial, … Continue reading International New York Times