Japan has sparked global concern by harpooning its first endangered fin whale in more than 50 years, just days after anti-whaling activist Paul Watson was arrested in Greenland. Watson, an outspoken critic of Japan’s whaling practices, was arrested by Danish authorities on July 21 at the request of Japan. His arrest comes after his long-standing opposition to Japan’s activities in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

Japan has formally requested Watson’s extradition, and a decision from the Danish Ministry of Justice is expected on August 15. The arrest appears to be related to an earlier Red Notice issued for Watson’s anti-whaling activities in the Antarctic region. “We are completely shocked, as the Red Notice disappeared a few months ago. We were surprised because it could have been erased or classified. We now understand that Japan has classified it to give Paul a false sense of security. We implore the Danish government to release Captain Watson and not to consider this politically motivated request,” said Locky MacLean, Ship Operations Director for CPWF.

Historical Context and Ongoing Legal Challenges

Japan’s current whaling activities follow a 2014 ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, which declared Japan’s previous whaling program illegal. Despite this ruling, Japan continued its activities for several years before temporarily suspending its high-seas whaling activities. This pause was largely influenced by Watson’s direct actions and international pressure, particularly from countries such as Australia and New Zealand. However, Japan has since resumed commercial whaling, drawing criticism from both conservation groups and governments.

“Japan continues to violate international conservation law and Paul Watson is being punished for Japan’s crimes,” MacLean added. He stressed that the arrest is politically motivated, suggesting that Japan wants to remove Watson from the scene to facilitate the resumption of whaling.

Japan and Iceland’s whaling quotas under scrutiny

In June, Japan and Iceland both approved the resumption of fin whale hunting by their last remaining whaling companies. The Japanese Fisheries Agency, acting on recommendations from a pro-whaling committee, authorized Kyodo Senpaku to kill up to 59 fin whales in the North Pacific this year. This is in addition to their existing annual quotas for other whale species, which include 25 sei whales, 150 Bryde’s whales and 142 minke whales.

Sue Fisher, senior policy advisor for the Marine Wildlife Program at the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), expressed her concern about Japan’s decision, saying: “The decision to allow the killing of fin whales is a disaster for animal welfare and protection, with serious diplomatic and legal implications for Japan. It perpetuates a vicious economic cycle that Japan must break: Kyodo Senpaku cannot sell the whale meat it already has. Despite this, the company continues to ask the government for higher quotas and more financial support in the hope that the miraculous recovery in meat sales will offset its mounting debt.”

Iceland’s whaling efforts and economic challenges

Iceland has also stepped up its whaling activities. The Icelandic government issued a commercial whaling license to Hvalur hf, a company that is now authorized to kill up to 128 fin whales. Kate O’Connell, senior policy advisor for AWI’s Marine Wildlife Program, criticized the decision, saying: “This decision condemns over 100 whales to a cruel, unnecessary death, despite overwhelming video evidence from the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority that whaling cannot be conducted in a humane manner.”

Hvalur hf. previously killed 148 fin whales in 2022 and 24 fin whales, including a pregnant female, last year. Despite these numbers, the company is struggling financially due to falling demand for whale products, both in Iceland and Japan. There are currently 2,000 tonnes of unsold Icelandic fin whale meat stored in Japan.

Financial Burdens and the Future of Japan’s Whaling Industry

Japan’s resumed fin whale hunt is being conducted by the Kangei Maru, a recently commissioned factory ship owned by Kyodo Senpaku. The ship, built at a cost of 7.5 billion yen ($47 million), was financed by government loans that the company expects to repay over the next 20 years.

“Kyodo Senpaku now faces a financial time bomb of ongoing storage costs for its vast supply of whale meat,” Fisher warned. She noted that these challenges are compounded by repayments on public and private loans related to the purchase of whale meat from Iceland and the construction of the new factory ship. “Slaughtering fin whales now makes no financial sense. The Japanese government has failed to act responsibly and the whales will pay the price,” Fisher concluded.

Global and diplomatic implications

The whaling quotas set by both Japan and Iceland have not been approved by the International Whaling Commission (IWC), the global authority that oversees the conservation of whales and the management of whaling activities. The continued whaling by both countries is expected to have significant diplomatic and legal repercussions on the international stage.

International support for Paul Watson

According to the latest updates, Paul Watson remains in custody, while the Danish Ministry of Justice has yet to decide on his extradition. Watson’s arrest has sparked a wave of international support, including statements from prominent figures such as French President Emmanuel Macron, film director James Cameron and marine biologist Dr. Sylvia Earle. A petition started under #FreePaulWatson has so far collected more than 55,000 signatures.

In an open statement calling for Watson’s immediate release, Dr. Jane Goodall and members of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Cetacean and Ethics Committees said: “Captain Watson is simply taking action to prevent the inhumane practice of killing whales, which most countries banned decades ago. In doing so, he is expressing the anger of thousands of people in many countries who fully support his moral courage in not only speaking out on behalf of the whales, but also taking action.”