Japan has been accused of "needless provocation" after it offered to spare endangered humpback whales in its Antarctic hunt later this year in return for approval to kill a limited number of whales in Japanese coastal waters. Leading opponents of whaling dismissed yesterday's offer, which came on the opening day of the International Whaling Commission's (IWC) meeting in Anchorage, Alaska. Despite the furious response from its opponents in the IWC, Japan said it had not given up hope of securing agreement to allow it to hunt a small number of minke whales off four coastal towns, with the meat used exclusively for local consumption. "We are open-minded for dialogue, and we might come up with a big package that will satisfy all members," said Joji Morishita, Japan's deputy whaling commissioner. "But we are very keen to see our small-type coastal whaling proposal progress." The IWC grants five-year permits to conduct indigenous hunts to communities with a strong tradition of subsistence whaling, which are up for review during the four-day meeting. Greenland and Russia are among those to have asked for permission to expand their coastal hunts. But Alaska's request to continue killing 41 bowhead whales a year through to 2012 could put US delegates at odds with their natural allies in the anti-whaling bloc. Ted Harvest, a Republican senator from Alaska, said the native Alaskans had every right to continue the hunts. "It is more than a right," he said. "It is an absolute necessity which affects absolutely every facet of their well-being. To deny this history would jeopardise their way of life." Critics said Japan's quest to conduct subsistence whaling was tantamount to a return to commercial hunting, which was banned by the IWC in 1986.

Justin McCurry, Guardian
Do you believe the United States will be forced to alter its strong anti-whaling stance and achieve some sort of common ground with Japan as they both seek to secure limited subsistence whaling rights for their respective coastal communities, despite widespread belief that Japan's attempts may lead to a return of commercial hunting?