Japanese hunters resume whaling

Japan's Antarctic fleet has resumed whaling after anti-hunt activists suspended their pursuit of the vessels in the Southern Ocean to refuel.

Media reports say an Australian customs vessel saw five whales being harpooned and hauled on to a Japanese ship.

The Japanese fleet had stopped hunting for three weeks while it was pursued in Antarctic waters by the campaigners.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith held talks with his Japanese counterpart in Tokyo on the issue.

A ministry spokesman said Mr Smith had "expressed disappointment that whaling had resumed in the Southern Ocean".

He also "conveyed the Australian government's strongly held view that Japan's whaling programme should cease".

But the two had "agreed to disagree" on whaling.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7219706.stm