Japan seeks to boost whaling commission influence

29/02/2008 22:30:36

Japan, in a feud with Western nations over whaling, says it will meet with 12 developing states in a bid to boost its clout in the deadlocked International Whaling Commission.

The foreign ministry says it will hold a seminar on Monday for nations that recently joined or plan to join the IWC, to give them an understanding of Japan's position on sustainable whaling.

Environmentalists accuse Japan of buying votes in the IWC by roping in countries that receive Japanese aid and have little tradition of whaling.

Japan, which kills up to 1,000 whales a year, says its whaling is legal and part of its culture, and accuses anti-whaling countries of insensitivity.

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