WWF Statement on Japan's Decision to Withdraw from the International Whaling Commission

In response to Japan's decision to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) released the following statement:

"WWF is dismayed by Japan’s decision to withdraw from the IWC and resume commercial whaling. By disregarding the only international agreement with oversight of whaling activities, Japan is turning its back on the IWC's democratic agreements on how to conserve and manage the world’s whales.

"This decision to put commercial and unsustainable whaling interests above global conservation efforts comes at a time when the planet’s whale species are under unprecedented threat from bycatch and entanglement, the impacts of shipping, noise, plastic and chemical pollution, as well as climate change.

"WWF calls on Japan to respect international agreements and global conservation efforts by remaining a member of the IWC."