Japanese whaling fleet kills 200 pregnant whales

Japanese whaling vessel Yushin Maru (R) and Yushin Maru No.2 before they set off on the whaling hunt Credit: REUTERS/Kyodo

Japan's whaling fleet has killed more than 200 pregnant whales, according to its Fisheries Agency.

The fleet set off in December amid widespread international outrage.

Following a year-long suspension, it said the fleet returned from its annual hunt with 103 males and 230 females, with 90% of the mature females pregnant.

International condemnation

Last year's hunt was called off following a 2014 ruling by the International Court of Justice that its whaling should stop. Japan said at the time it intended to resume its whaling later.

Japan has long maintained that most whale species are not endangered and that eating whale is part of its culture. It began what it calls "scientific whaling" in 1987, a year after an international whaling moratorium took effect.

A minke whale at a Japanese research station in 2014 Credit: Reuters

The meat ends up on shop shelves, although most Japanese people no longer eat it.

Despite international condemnation, the country intends to take nearly 4,000 whales over the next 12 years as part of its research programme and has repeatedly said that its ultimate goal is the resumption of commercial whaling.