Australia expects International Court of Justice ban on Japanese Antarctic whaling this year

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Australia expects International Court of Justice ban on Japanese Antarctic whaling this year
By Associated Press, Published: June 22

CANBERRA, Australia — Australia expects the International Court of Justice will outlaw Japanese whaling in the Antarctic before the next whale hunting season begins in January.

Australia’s case against Japan will begin in the United Nations court in The Hague on Wednesday.

Australian Attorney General Mark Dreyfus said on Sunday he expects to win before the next southern hemisphere summer. The whaling fleet generally leaves Japan each December to begin harpooning whales in January in the Antarctic Ocean, where Australia declared a whale sanctuary in 1999.

“We’re hopeful of a decision from the International Court of Justice before the end of the year and certainly before the start of the next whale hunting season that’s part of Japan’s so-called scientific whaling program,” Dreyfus told reporters.

“We want commercial whaling to stop and that includes the so-called scientific whaling program that Japan has been carrying on for many years,” he added.


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/australia-expects-international-court-of-justice-ban-on-japanese-antarctic-whaling-this-year/2013/06/22/6b3aaefe-dbab-11e2-b418-9dfa095e125d_story.html

[Suich]

1. Best news I've heard in ages!!!

Thanks, Judi Lynn!

[Violet_Crumble]

2. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that happens n/t

[pampango]

3. Will be great news, if it happens. But the national sovereignty lobbies (mostly right wing)

around the world will decry an international body telling a sovereign nation what it has to do or cannot do. You know the old "if politicians in country J (or country U) think it is in the 'national interest' to do something, an international organization has no right to tell them that the action violates international law or agreement".

I am glad there is an International Court of Justice. I hope it rules against Japan in this instance.

[denem]

4. For once I am proud of my homeland's government.

The Australian Government have promised their citizens, year after year, that whaling could be stopped by International Jurisprudence. We waited a long time, for me too long, while these peaceful giants of the sea where slaughtered, for no reason at all.

IF, and I must say that, IF, the International Court of Justice brings this barbarity to an end, I will thank the Australian Government, and believe me, I can hardly believe I am saying this.

Thanks Judi. Good news is hard to come by these days.

[roamer65]

5. If the court does rule against the Japanese...

...the Australian navy should be ready to enforce it. I have a feeling the Japanese will try to ignore the ruling.

But I doubt an Coalition government will have that much guts.

[roody]

6. Thank goodness for Sea Shepherd,

in case Australia loses.

[FBaggins]

9. You think they should risk a war with Japan?

The Japanese MDF is substantially superior to the Australian Navy.

But there isn't much chance of them needing to make that decision. The claim is really just the standard bluster than any party to a lawsuit will use. "We expect to win"

In reality... they have very little chance.

[Posteritatis]

7. Considering they'll ignore any ruling, what'll happen with enforcement? (nt)

[Scairp]

8. Well....

Japan has been very defiant of any international pressure to stop whaling, even after getting busted serving whale meat in restaurants in Japan and in at least one here in California. They even used money donated to tsunami relief to help the whaling fleet bulk up and better equipped to take out Sea Shepherds ships if they got close. That really pissed me off. It will be interesting to see their reaction if the ICJ does issue a ruling outlawing whaling in the Southern Ocean. I wish they would include the fucking Faroe Islands hunt too. Talk about brutal.