Is there a Japanese whaling policy?

Yes, there is a Japanese whaling policy, and the policy has two main components: the "Scientific Research Whaling Program," referred to as the JARPA programs and the "small-type coastal whaling" for the local consumption of whales caught on the coast of Japan.

#### 1. Scientific Whaling Program in the North Pacific and the Antarctic Ocean (JARPA)

The Scientific Research Whaling Program, also known as JARPA, is conducted under special permits issued by the Japanese government. JARPA was designed to collect scientific data on many whale species, including minke whales, sei whales, and fin whales. However, according to the international law of the seas, lethal scientific research on animals is allowed only if other non-lethal means are not sufficient to obtain the necessary information.

After the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in March 2014 that Japan's JARPA II program in the Antarctic was not for the purpose of scientific research, Japan halted that program. However, Japan began a new program, the JARPA II Special Permit, in December 2015. The Japanese government presented a list of 12 scientific questions as the scientific basis for the program. However, the ICJ decided that the program had not been modified substantially from the JARPA II program and ruled in December 2021 that the continued "scientific whaling" program also violated international law.

#### 2. Coastal Whaling for Local Consumption

Japan also has a coastal whaling program that targets minke whales along its coast. The government sets a quota for the number of whales that can be caught from each group or pod of whales. The meat of the whales that are caught is then sold locally.

However, conservation groups have expressed concerns about the sustainability of coastal whaling. They argue that the quotas are too high, and that it is difficult to accurately monitor the whale populations in coastal waters.