PlanetArk 27 Nov 07;
"Humpback whales are very popular in Australia. I have heard that to catch and kill a humpback whale is a very emotional thing. We have discussed this within the government, but for the moment we are continuing as planned."
TOKYO - Japan will not end what it calls its research whaling programme, but it also expects to maintain strong ties with Australia, one of the most vocal critics of the hunt, the top government spokesman said on Monday.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura was speaking after Australia's Labor party swept to power in national elections on Saturday, ending 11 years of conservative rule under John Howard, an ally of Tokyo.
While in opposition, Labor called for legal action against Japanese whaling in Australia's Antarctic Whale Sanctuary, which is not recognised by other nations.
"Whales are a problem," Machimura told reporters. "We conduct research whaling and we can't just stop this all of a sudden."
Japan's whaling fleet set out for the Antarctic Ocean just over a week ago despite renewed outcries from several countries, sparked by its plan to target humpback whales, a perennial favourite among whale-watchers.
Japan, which says whaling is a cherished cultural tradition, abandoned commercial whaling in accordance with an international moratorium in 1986, but began what it calls a scientific research whaling programme the following year.
Machimura acknowledged the angry response from Australia.
"Humpback whales are very popular in Australia. I have heard that to catch and kill a humpback whale is a very emotional thing," he said. "We have discussed this within the government, but for the moment we are continuing as planned." Machimura said Japan congratulated the new Australian government under Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, a former diplomat fluent in Mandarin, and expected close ties to continue.
"Japan has maintained very good relations with Australia for a long time. We are strategic partners," Machimura said.
"We had good ties with former Prime Minister (John) Howard, and we think we can maintain this with the new Rudd administration. There is no room for doubt on this," he added.
Japan signed a landmark defence pact with Howard in March, setting out areas of cooperation including counter-terrorism and maritime security.
Leaders of Japan, the United States and Australia also held their first trilateral summit in Australia in September. (Reporting by Isabel Reynolds; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
