According to the source, Japanese whaling was carried out under Article VIII ('scientific whaling') since 1988. In 2014 however, the UN's International Court of Justice determined that Japan's Antarctic whaling was commercial and therefore illegal. In 2018, the Japanese government withdrew from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to officially resume commercial whaling in Japanese waters.
The source does not provide a publication date. Date mentioned here is the day of data access.
In 2023, Japan took *** Bryde's whales through commercial whaling in the North Pacific. While there were no sperm or fin whale catches, ** minke and ** sei whales were hunted during the measured time period. Whaling in Japan is subsidized by the government and was conducted under the scientific research provision in agreement with the International Whaling Commission (IWC) up until mid-2019. At the end of 2018, the Japanese government announced to resume commercial whaling in the country's territorial waters.
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IWC. (November 18, 2024). Number of whales hunted in Japan in 2023, by species [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 27, 2026, from /statistics/1186222/japan-whaling-number-by-species/
IWC. "Number of whales hunted in Japan in 2023, by species." Chart. November 18, 2024. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 27, 2026. /statistics/1186222/japan-whaling-number-by-species/
IWC. (2024). Number of whales hunted in Japan in 2023, by species. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 27, 2026. /statistics/1186222/japan-whaling-number-by-species/
IWC. "Number of Whales Hunted in Japan in 2023, by Species." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 18 Nov 2024, /statistics/1186222/japan-whaling-number-by-species/
IWC, Number of whales hunted in Japan in 2023, by species ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/1186222/japan-whaling-number-by-species/ (last visited July 27, 2026)
Number of whales hunted in Japan in 2023, by species [Graph], IWC, November 18, 2024. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1186222/japan-whaling-number-by-species/
