Australians High Five International Court Decision Against Japanese Whaling · Global Voices
Kevin Rennie

There has been online elation on Australian social media following the news that on 31 March 2014 the International Court of Justice has found against Japan’s so-called ‘scientific research’ whaling in the Southern Ocean.
Whaling ship Nisshin Maru berths in Kagoshima City, Japan. Photo by wdeon. Shutterstock
The ICJ has concerns that:
…[there was] “no evidence that Japan examined whether it would be feasible to combine a smaller lethal take and an increase in non-lethal sampling”
…[and about] “the open-ended time frame of the programme, its limited scientific output to date, and the lack of co-operation between [the Japanese research program] and other domestic and international research programmes in the Antarctic Ocean.”
J.C. Bouvier of the International Fund for Animal Welfare has saved others [including your author] lots of time by sharing his Storify log:
#ICJ ruling on Japan's scientific whaling @Storify news roundup – http://t.co/ZFAXh5ZYL9
— J.C. Bouvier (@IFAWMEO) March 31, 2014
In 2010 the former Labor government took the Japanese to the ICJ. Some were quick to remind current Prime Minister Tony Abbott of his party’s opposition to the legal challenge:
Remember this?- Abbott rejects whaling legal bid #auspol http://t.co/uzdEQKupd7
— Charlie Pickering (@charliepick) March 31, 2014
The Environment Minister at the time, Midnight Oil rock icon Peter Garrett, was obviously chuffed:
Finally, huge congratulations to environment groups & citizens who campaigned tirelessly to protect these great creatures.
— Peter Garrett (@pgarrett) March 31, 2014
Not everyone trusts that this is the end:
So, @JPN_PMO, will you now cease your illegal and dishonourable commercial #whaling under false scientific pretexts ? http://t.co/nZvcsuqlOd
— Axel Bruns (@snurb_dot_info) March 31, 2014
On-shore #SeaShepherd volunteer Mish T “has an extra bounce today” and wasn’t past a selfie to celebrate:
Our work is never done but victories are sweet! #whaling @SeaShepherd @SeaShepherdAustralia pic.twitter.com/6xyifZMytW
— Mish T (@purplepixl) April 1, 2014
New Zealand had intervened in the case so Greenpeace NZ has much to feel good about. Their image was retweeted hundreds of times.
Japan accepts court ban on Antarctic whaling http://t.co/cpgw3pLHMv pic.twitter.com/rYi3ZOb7Od
— Greenpeace NZ (@GreenpeaceNZ) March 31, 2014
There are bound to be people in Australia who are pro-whaling but if so they have been well and truly submerged on social media. It will be interesting to see the reactions in Japan.