Institute of Cetacean Research
Controversial Japanese whaling body that purports to be focused on research / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Institute of Cetacean Research?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
The Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR, 日本鯨類研究所, Nihon Geirui Kenkyūjo) is a research organization specializing in the "biological and social sciences related to whales".[1]
This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: to reflect recent changes in Japanese whaling. (February 2021) |
Abbreviation | ICR |
---|---|
Predecessor |
|
Formation | October 1987[1] |
Headquarters | Chūō, Tokyo, Japan |
Director General | Dr. Yoshihiro Fujise |
Parent organization | Japan Fisheries Agency |
Website | icrwhale.org |
In the past, it killed several hundred whales per year in the name of its 'research', the validity and necessity of which has been called into question.[2][3][4] Among its activities, the ICR also used to sell "whale research byproducts" commercially,[5] which environmental groups denounced as commercial whaling in disguise, which is banned by the International Whaling Commission (IWC). In March 2014, the International Court of Justice formally ruled that the ICR's whaling program was not for scientific purposes, as claimed, and ordered Japan to immediately cease its operation.[6]
In 2019, the Japanese government resumed commercial whaling, and, in March 2020, the ICR ended its sale of "whale research byproducts", claiming that the institute would only carry out non-lethal research moving forward.[5][7]