Update | UN court rules Japan’s Antarctic whaling ‘not scientific’, revokes permit

Judges at the highest UN court ordered Japan on Monday to halt whaling in the Antarctic, rejecting the country’s long-held argument that the catch was for scientific purposes and not primarily for human consumption.

Tokyo said it was disappointed but would abide by the decision, while activists said they hoped it would bring closer a complete end to whaling around the world.

The International Court of Justice sided with plaintiff Australia in finding that the scientific output of the whaling programme did not justify the number of whales killed.

The tribunal said no further licences should be issued for scientific whaling, where animals are first examined for research purposes before the meat is sold to consumers.

“In light of the fact the JARPA II [research programme] has been going on since 2005, and has involved the killing of about 3,600 minke whales, the scientific output to date appears limited,” Presiding Judge Peter Tomka of Slovakia said.

Watch: Japan says will honour ICJ whaling decision