People bid farewell to crew members of Nisshin Maru, the 8,000-tonne flagship of Japan's whaling fleet, as they leave for an expedition from Shimonoseki port, southwestern Japan Nov. 18, 2007.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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    TOKYO, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government announced on Friday to suspend humpback whaling in response to the International Whaling Commission (IWC)'s proposal, but insisted that the country's overall whaling program for research is legitimate.

    The decision to temporarily stop humpback whaling followed IWC Chair William Hogarth's such appeal to Japan for cooperation while the IWC is talking about internal reform.

    "We will not change the plan to conduct research whaling itself. But the government has decided that, as long as the normalization process is under way, we will postpone humpback whaling," Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura was quoted by Kyodo News as telling reporters.

    Japanese whaling fleet set off in mid November for its annual four-month mission in the Antarctic. Its original plan to restart hunting of the famed humpback in this season since an international moratorium regarding the species took effect in 1966induced fierce opposition from anti-whaling countries and organizations.

    Japan has always been claiming that its whaling program is for scientific purpose and the world whale population could afford a limited catch.

    Japan kills 1,000 whales annually. According to the Japanese agriculture, forestry and fishery ministry, Japan's original hunting target for this year was 1,035 whales, including 50 humpbacks.

U.S. scientists refute Japan's whale hunting allegation

    LOS ANGELES, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. scientists have refuted Japan's allegation that the country's hunt for some species of whale is purely for scientific purposes, comparing the belief to that of "the sun rises in the west," the Los Angeles Times reported on Saturday.

    The Japanese whalers have announced its aim to harpoon, over the next several months, 935 minke whales, 50 fin whales and 50 humpback whales.

Chileans protest at Japanese embassy against whale hunting

    SANTIAGO, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Famous Chilean figures from the political, guild and cultural communities protested on Thursday in front of the Japanese embassy in Chile against Japan's planned whale hunting in the Antarctic region.

    "We want Chile to lead the world against these assassinations," said senator Guido Girardi.

U.S. appeals Japan to refrain from whale hunting

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- The United States urged Japan on Monday to refrain from whale hunting in the Antarctic Ocean and demanded all sides make sure planned protests stay peaceful on Monday.

    "We call on Japan to refrain from conducting this year's hunt, especially in respect to Humpback and fin whales," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement. 

Japanese humpback whale hunt largest since 1960s

    BEIJING, Nov. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- A Japanese whaling fleet hunting protected humpback whales to kill sailed toward Antarctica waters Monday, while the fleet itself is the object of a hunt by Greenpeace.

    Greenpeace said its protest ship Esperanza was searching for the fleet south of Japanese territorial waters and would shadow the ships to the South Pacific to try to curtail their catch.