Japan’s massively controversial decision to take humpbacks in this year’s whale hunt has been abandoned. Although the hunt will continue, the planned take of 50 of the vulnerable animals has been dropped.

“Japan has decided not to catch humpback whales for one year or two,” said government spokesman Nobutaka Machimura (Reuters).

Some have said this u-turn is a result of pressure from the Australian government. Machimura himself said, “Japan’s relations with Australia could improve, but it depends on how it will see our decision.”

However the Japanese line appears to be that although it hopes the move will improve relations with Australia it was not forced by their pressure. On the BBC this morning a spokesperson for Japan’s Institute of Cetacean Research was asked if the move was due to the antipodeans. “That is not correct. It was in direct response to a request from the chairman of the IWC [International Whaling Commission],” said Dan Goodman (audio file).

Australia has said it plans to “step up efforts to end this senseless and brutal practice, using a range of diplomatic, legal and monitoring and surveillance initiatives” (CNN).

The latest move by Japan has not been enough to halt anger in the country. “The Australian government strongly believes that there is no credible justification for the hunting of any whales and will vigorously pursue its efforts, announced earlier this week, to see an end to whaling by Japan,” said a spokesman for Foreign Minister Stephen Smith (Sidney Morning Herald).

Image: humpback whale breaching / NOAA