* Diplomatic Pressure: Countries like the United States, Australia, and New Zealand pressured Japan to stop whaling through diplomatic channels.
* Economic Sanctions: Some countries threatened economic sanctions if Japan continued its whale hunting practices.
* Scientific Research Exemption: Japan argued that its whaling was for scientific research, but many countries questioned the validity of this claim.
Legal Challenges
* International Court of Justice (ICJ) Ruling: In 2014, the ICJ ruled that Japan's scientific whaling program in the Antarctic was not for legitimate scientific research and ordered Japan to revoke all permits for killing, taking, or treating whales in the Antarctic Ocean Sanctuary.
* Domestic Litigation: Environmental groups filed lawsuits in Japanese courts challenging the legality of the country's whaling practices.
Public Awareness and Activism
* Media Coverage: International media attention brought global awareness to the issue of Japanese whaling, prompting outrage and public pressure.
* Environmental Activism: Environmental organizations, such as Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd, conducted protest campaigns, including direct actions at sea to disrupt Japanese whaling operations.
Domestic Factors
* Changing Public Opinion: Over time, public opinion in Japan shifted, with more people opposing whaling due to ecological concerns and awareness of international criticism.
* Economic Considerations: The profitability of whaling declined, making it less economically viable for Japanese whalers.
As a result of these combined factors, the Japanese government decided to end its controversial scientific whaling program in the Antarctic in 2018 and announced its intention to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC), the international body responsible for regulating whaling activities. However, Japan continues to conduct coastal whaling within its sovereign waters under an objection to the IWC's moratorium on commercial whaling.