Japan’s continued cooperation with the IWC after its withdrawal from the ICRW

1. IWC-POWER: The IWC-Pacific Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research Programme

 The description of IWC-POWER on the IWC website is as follow :“IWC-POWER is an international effort co-ordinated by the IWC and designed by the IWC's Scientific Committee, with a vessel generously donated by Japan.”
 The programme commenced in 2010, and it has been continuing without interruption notwithstanding Japan’s withdrawal from the ICRW in 2019.
 The objectives of the programme (non-lethal research) are as follows;

• Estimating the abundance of sei whales, fin whales, and other whale species.
• Collecting information on the stock structure of sei whales, fin whales, sperm whales, and other whale species (particularly biopsy and sample collection).
• Photographing and biopsy sampling for individual identification of rare whale species such as North Pacific right whales and blue whales.

 For details on the whale species targeted in this research, please click here.

 IWC website acknowledges that “The ultimate objective is to provide information which will allow scientists to determine the status of populations of large whales found in North Pacific Waters. This information will provide the scientific background to assess the need for conservation and management action and, if actions are necessary, monitor their effectiveness.”

 IWC website also states:
“The IWC-POWER research cruises are an important component of the IWC’s scientific research, and the successor to the Southern Ocean programme (SOWER) which ran in the Antarctic for over thirty years.”

“So far scientists from Japan, the Republic of Korea, the USA, Russia, Mexico and the UK have participated in the fieldwork. Scientists from Australia and a number of European countries are also involved as members of a specialist IWC-POWER steering group.”

While IWC funds the expenses of scientists aboard IWC-POWER (including NOAA researchers and foreign researchers from various countries) and specialized equipment (such as acoustic equipment), Japan provides research funding.

Fiscal Year	Total Sailing Days	Number of International Researchers (designated by the IWC-SC)	Of which Japanese Researchers
2020	76	3 members (first half), 3 members (second half)	3 members (first half), 3 members (second half)
2021	60	3 members	2 members
2022	60	4 members	2 members
2023	70	4 members	2 members
2024	70	4 members	2 members
2025	80	4 members	2 members

Items covered by the IWC:

• Design of the research plan
• Accommodation expenses for international researchers other than Japanese nationals
• Bringing in cameras and acoustic recording buoys

Items covered by Japan:

• Formulation of the plan and implementation of the research as part of the POWER operational group
• Chartering costs for vessels
• Securing crew members and associated expenses
• Bringing in equipment necessary for satellite tagging and biopsy sampling

Click here to find the IWC-POWER reports from 2010 to 2025.

2. Provision of Information to the IWC on commercial whaling

(1) Japan’s basic policy on resumed commercial whaling

Japan’s withdrawal from the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) took effect on 30 June 2019 and Japan resumed commercial whaling of North Pacific sei whales, North Pacific Bryde’s and common minke whales in the following month.

Based upon the statement by the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan on 26 December 2018, the operational area of commercial whaling has been restricted to Japan’s territorial sea and its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Japan conducts commercial whaling within the catch limits for those species that are calculated in line with the scientific methodology adopted by the IWC (the Revised Management Procedure: RMP).

(2) Addition of fin whales as target species

 Japan added fin whales in the list of target species of commercial whaling on 31 July 2024. The Government of   Japan made prior notifications to the IWC-Scientific Committee to inform the development of internal procedures, and to provide relevant information, including the results of (a) Japanese scientists’ analysis of fin whale catch limits for western North Pacific and (b) the external and independent review carried out by a panel consisting of international scientists, all of whom are IWC-SC members.

Click here to read the letters from the Government of Japan to IWC-Scientific Committee on 7 May, 11 June and 31 July 2024.

Note: The links for Attachment 1 and 2 in the letter dated 11 June 2024 are currently inactive.

(3) Update of catch limits for Sei and Bryde’s whales

 On 31 December 2024, the catch limits for North pacific sei whales and North Pacific Bryde’s whales were revised respectively from 25 to 56 and from 187 to 154 for the years 2025-2030. Those catch limits are calculated in line with the scientific methodology (RMP) developed by the IWC-Scientific Committee based on the updated stock.

 The RMP requires that catch limits for each management area be recalculated at least every six years. The purpose of this recalculation process is to ensure that catch limits are maintained at appropriate levels using the latest data, including abundance estimates – this process is valuable from the perspective of sustainable use of marine resources. Catch limits for sei and Bryde’s whales were recalculated in 2024, following the initial catch limits, which were set in 2019.

 The Government of Japan made prior notifications to the IWC to inform the development of internal procedures, and to provide relevant information, including the results of (a) Japanese scientists’ analysis of the revision of the catch limits for western North Pacific sei and Bryde’s and (b) the external and independent review carried out by a panel of international scientists, all of whom are IWC-SC members.

Click here to read the letter from the Government of Japan to IWC on 22 November 2024.

(4) Planned updates of the catch limits of target species

 For the sake of transparency, the planned updates of the catch limits are as follows:
 The upcoming timings of revising or updating the catch limits are as follows:
・Common minke and Fin whales: review in 2027 and update in 2028

Note: The catch limit of fin whales will be reviewed no longer than 4 years (i.e. 2027) in line with the recommendation of the independent panel composed of international scientists.

・Sei and Bryde’s whales: review in 2030 and update in 2031

3. Provision of Information to the IWC on non-lethal research: Japanese Abundance and Stock-structure Surveys in the Antarctic (JASS-A)

 JASS-A research program is a continuation of the Japanese government's research program (non-lethal research) aimed at the sustainable use of whale resources in the Antarctic Ocean after Japan's withdrawal from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) on June 30, 2019.

The main research objectives of JASS-A are to obtain results on the following:


 The research includes a sighting survey, biopsy sampling, satellite tagging, oceanographic observation and collection of other relevant information on cetaceans.
 The scientific information obtained from this research will be provided to relevant organs of international organizations, such as the IWC Scientific Committee, the Ecosystem Monitoring and Management Working Group of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and the Scientific Committee of the North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO) to contribute to the appropriate management of whale resources in the Antarctic Ocean.

 This survey is financially supported by the Fisheries Agency of Japan, and the Institute of Cetacean Research takes the lead in planning, implementing and conducting analyses of data obtained from it.

 Click here for the information on the JASS-A research cruise 2024-2025.