Of those, 122 were pregnant, according to the Japanese report, with dozens more immature whales among those killed. Humane Society International, a conservationist group, called the figures "a shocking statistic and sad indictment on the cruelty of Japan's whale hunt." Japan is a signatory to the International Whaling Commission, which has maintained a moratorium on hunting whales since 1986. But consumption has declined significantly in recent decades, with much of the population saying they rarely or never eat whale meat. Tokyo cancelled the hunt the following year, but resumed it in 2016, also killing around 300 minke whales.

Source: The Nation Bangkok May 31, 2018 04:30 UTC