Japan, despite global outcry from world leaders and activists, dispatched its first whaling fleet on Tuesday. The fleet will hunt and kill 333 minke whales within the next three months. Japanese officials claim that the hunt is necessary for research.
Japan halted it whale hunt in 2014 after the International Court of Justice issued a ruling stating that it was not for "scientific research." The ruling added that Japan violated the global moratorium imposed to regulate whale hunting for commercial purposes, according to Time.
Japan's decision to resume its whale hunting mission was condemned by several world leaders. In a statement acquired by CNN, New Zealand acting Foreign Minister Todd McClay said, "New Zealand is strongly opposed to whaling in the Southern Ocean. We call on Japan to take heed of the 2014 International Court of Justice decision and international scientific advice concerning their whaling activities."
Despite persistent calls from world leaders and activists to cease its whaling activities, Japan insists that its mission is vital for research purposes. Japan admits that most of the whales that its mission catches end up as food but the country still insists that it is a by-product of legal research.
Japan Fishery Agency senior fisheries negotiator Hideki Moronuki claims that through these whaling missions Japan is collecting valuable scientific data and aims to help the resumption of whaling for commercial purposes.
Japan sent out a fleet of four vessels on Tuesday heading towards the Southern Ocean. The fleet is composed of three small boats and the research ship Nisshin Maru. The fleet is due to end its expedition in March 2016.