When will these morons listen.

Japan said today that it plans to go ahead with its annual whale hunt of about 1,000 whales.For the first time this will include humpbacks, currently listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List. Four decades ago, the world banned the slaughter of humpback whales after rampant hunting drove the gentle giants to near extinction. Now, Japan is set to break the 1966 moratorium as the country prepares to launch its largest ever scientific whaling program in the South Pacific this week end.Environmentalists criticize Japan's research program as a pretext for keeping the whaling industry alive, and have long campaigned for an end to the winter catch in the Southern Ocean and a mission in the North Pacific that kills about 100 minke whales a year.

Stop the slaughter of Whales now!

The new hunt is certain to renew Japan's angry standoff with anti-whaling forces. Greenpeace and the animal rights activist group Sea Shepherd have said they will track Japan's hunt in the South Pacific.

We all can help protect these gentle animals by not buying japnese products,Japan’s repeated assertion that its whaling activities are legal is incorrect and misleading. ‘Scientific whaling’ as conducted by Japan violates international law and should not be allowed to continue.