Japan’s government agrees to more funding for whale hunts

Japan’s Diet (parliament) has passed a law to help support commercial whaling through increased funding despite the falling demand for meat in the country.
The government has said that it will promote the consumption of whale meat in schools as well as financially help the country's whaling industry in securing hunting ships and crew.
This law comes after Japan resumed commercial whaling in July following withdrawal from the International Whaling Commission, the body that regulates whale hunting and prohibits commercial whaling.
The annual consumption of whale meat in Japan is reported to be around 5,000 tons compared with peak demand of 230,000 tons per year in the 1960s.
Related News

Toxic tides, troubled whales: the toll of chemical pollution
In last week's blog, we examined the challenges whales and dolphins face as they travel the ocean, shedding light on the human-made hurdles they navigate....

Breaking barriers for whales and dolphins at the Convention of Migratory Species
Many species of whales, dolphins and porpoises undertake long journeys, encountering human-made obstacles along the way. Danger lurks in various forms from fishing nets to harpoons,...