Japan begins last round of "research" whaling off Pacific coast

Japanese whaling vessels launched on Saturday the last round of what Japan calls scientific research off the Pacific coast ahead of the country's pullout from the International Whaling Commission next month for commercial hunting.Japan will resume commercial whaling possibly from July in waters of the country's 200-mile exclusive economic zone after the withdrawal from the IWC takes effect at the end of next month.The four ships organized by the Association for Community-Based Whaling based in Fukuoka left Hachinohe port in Aomori Prefecture Saturday morning and caught eight minke whales. T…READ FULL ARTICLE