日本开始有争议的捕鲸活动

AS IT IS 2015-12-03 Japanese Begins Controversial Whale Hunt 日本开始有争议的捕鲸活动

An international court ruled last year that Japan should stop hunting whales in the waters around Antarctica.

But Japan is allowed to hunt whales for scientific research. Critics complain that while the Japanese say they are conducting research, they are really hunting whales to sell as meat.

Both Australia and New Zealand are against the whaling project.

Those countries are closest to the waters where the Japanese boats will be working.

The Japanese whaling fleet set off on its latest hunt on Tuesday.

In March 2014, the United Nations’ International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the Japanese whaling program in the waters between Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica was illegal. The hunt and kill was not scientific research, it says.

Japan says catching¹ and killing² some whales furthers scientific research. Officials from Australia and New Zealand say calling the work research is a cover-up.

Japan argues that the ICJ made its decision based on an older research program that is no longer used.

Japan says its new program is much smaller and takes into account the ICJ decision.

Japan says it will limit its hunt to 333 minke whales this year, two-thirds fewer than in the past.

But this year is only the first year of a 12-year-program.

That means almost 4,000 whales will be killed over the next 12 years.

Australia’s Environment Minister, Greg Hunt, says Japan should have let the ICJ review its plan before launching its ships on Tuesday.

Hunt says "Japan cannot unilaterally decide whether it has adequately addressed the scientific committee’s questions.”

Alex Gillespie is an international law and conservation professor at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. He says Japan adjusted its whale hunting program since the ICJ did not specifically outlaw³ hunting whales.

It only says the older program had to stop.

Gillespie says “the problem is all the scientists who are looking at it are still saying there is no scientific need to do lethal⁴ scientific research in Antarctica.”

Scientists say the Japanese research can be done without killing whales.

The meat from these dead whales often ends up in restaurants and on supermarket shelves. But an Australian news outlet⁵ reported that whale meat is less popular in Japan than it used to be.

A report from the Australian Associated Press news agency in 2014 says whale meat does not sell as well in Japan. And, the news agency reported, organizations that protest the whale hunts have helped cut-back the catch.

Representatives from both Australia and New Zealand say they plan to continue diplomatic⁶ efforts to make Japan change its mind about hunting whales.

Words in This Story

conservation – n. the protection of animals, plants, and natural resources

cover-up – n. an effort to hide an illegal act

fleet – n. a group of ships or vehicles that move or work together or that are controlled or owned by one company

lethal  – adj. causing or able to cause death

outlaw – v. to make (something) illegal

skeptical⁷ – adj. having or expressing doubt about something (such as a claim or statement)

unilateral – adj. involving only one group or country

1 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

2 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

3 outlaw   

n.歹徒，亡命之徒；vt.宣布…为不合法

参考例句：

• The outlaw hid out in the hills for several months.逃犯在山里隐藏了几个月。
• The outlaw has been caught.歹徒已被抓住了。

4 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

5 outlet   

n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄

参考例句：

• The outlet of a water pipe was blocked.水管的出水口堵住了。
• Running is a good outlet for his energy.跑步是他发泄过剩精力的好方法。

6 diplomatic   

adj.外交的，从事外交的，策略的，有手腕的

参考例句：

• There are certain forms that must be followed in diplomatic circles.在外交界有一些礼节是必须遵守的。
• You must be more diplomatic in handling the situation.你在处理这一情况时，必须圆滑。

7 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。