Photo: Whale is a very common Japanese traditional food of Japan (Shushi)

LANDLOCKED Laos has agreed to join the world's whaling body at Japan's request, leading campaigners to accuse Tokyo of buying votes in its bid to resume commercial whaling.

The Japanese foreign ministry said Laos, whose prime minister is on a visit to Japan, planned to join the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

But a Japanese official said it was uncertain if Laos would join in time for this month's meeting, which is set again to pit Japan against anti-whaling nations led by Australia, Britain, New Zealand and the United States.

The move comes ahead of the IWC's annual meeting later this month in Alaska when Tokyo is expected again to push for an end to a moratorium on commercial whaling.


Photo: whale

"Japan requested cooperation on preserving traditional culture and we think the reason Laos agreed to join the IWC is to help improve friendly ties with Japan," the foreign ministry official said.

Laotian Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh is holding talks in Tokyo on securing investment from the world's second largest economy.

Japan, which says whale meat is part of its culture, hunts whales using a loophole that allows a catch for scientific research.

It is campaigning for an outright resumption of commercial whaling. Only Norway and Iceland defy the global ban on hunting altogether.

Pro-whaling nations won a razor-thin 33-32 victory at the last IWC meeting in the Caribbean last year, passing a symbolic resolution saying the whaling moratorium was no longer necessary.

The environmental campaign group Greenpeace, which opposes whaling, accuses Japan of using aid to boost the IWC's ranks with friendly developing nations, many in Africa, which have no genuine involvement in the issue.

"In the IWC, countries are fighting to get even one vote so there is a chance that one vote could change things a lot," said Junichi Sato, Greenpeace Japan's campaign leader.

"To join the IWC in return for receiving aid does not reflect what the Laotian people desire, and to have Laos join an international meeting through these obscure means is very bad for both Japan and Laos," Mr Sato said.

Source: www.news.com.au