Japan is considering whether to conduct research whaling in the northwestern Pacific Ocean later this month as planned.

The International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled in March that Japan’s whaling program in the Antarctic cannot be recognized as serving research purposes in its current form.

Japan also carries out research whaling in the northwestern Pacific, including waters off the country’s coast.

This year’s activities are scheduled to start off the coast of Ishinomaki City, northeastern Japan, on April 22nd. There are plans to conduct it farther out into the northwestern Pacific next month.

The court’s decision does not directly cover Japan’s research whaling in those areas.

But the government thinks the court’s ruling could be applied to those waters depending on methods used, including the number caught.

The concern is prompting the government to assess its research procedures. It plans to decide as early as next week whether to go ahead with research whaling in the northwestern Pacific.

Some in the government claim that it should conduct the Pacific research whaling as planned. But others argue that Japan could be sued again if it continues the program without due consideration to the court’s ruling.

Apr. 10, 2014  http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20140411_03.html