CRI听力:Conference to Discuss Impact of ICJ Ruling on Japan's Whale Hunt

Japan's intention to resume whale hunting in the Antarctic is topping the agenda at an International Whaling Conference in Slovenia, despite a ruling by the top United Nations court.

Hideki Moronuki is spokesman for Japan's delegation to the International Whaling Commission conference.

"In accordance with the decisions of ICJ (the International Court of Justice) in March this year, we are thinking to develop a new research program, as you know, but we are still on the way to finalize the elaboration of our research program."

In March, the International Court of Justice ruled that Japan's program wasn't scientific as it produced little actual research.

Whaling for research purposes is exempt from the 1986 international ban on commercial whaling.

But Japan says it will conduct additional hunts on that basis.

This could lead to the killing of hundreds more whales.

Approval from the International Whaling Commission, or IWC, is not mandatory.