Photo: KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty

Japanese whalers brought ashore their first catches on July 1 as they resumed commercial hunting after a three-decade hiatus, brushing aside criticism from activists who say the practice is cruel and outdated

However, in December of last year, Japan withdrew from the Commission and decided to resume commercial hunting in its territorial waters and economic zones,CNNreported.

KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty

Japanese whalers brought ashore their first catches on July 1 as they resumed commercial hunting after a three-decade hiatus, brushing aside criticism from activists who say the practice is cruel and outdated

Japanese whalers brought ashore their first catches on July 1 as they resumed commercial hunting after a three-decade hiatus, brushing aside criticism from activists who say the practice is cruel and outdated

According to the outlet, a fleet of five whaling boats left Kushiro port in northern Japan on Monday and another fleet of deep-water boats was scheduled to leave the southern port of Shimonoseki.

Iceland and Norway are the only other nations who allow commercial whaling, and the Japanese Fisheries Agency is permitting 227 to be caught and killed for commercial purposes from July 1 through December 31. Common whales in Japanese waters include minke and Bryde’s whales, according toLive Science,which are listed as “least concern” on theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.

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Japan’s withdrawal from the Commission comes after years of pressure from the country’s whaling industry and prevalence of whaling tradition in Japan,Reutersreported.

In the 2017-2018 whaling season, Japan caught and killed 596 whales with a “scientific research” permit from the Commission.

source: people.com