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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Japanese whalers hunt humpbacks | Japanese whalers hunt humpbacks |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A Japanese whaling fleet has set sail aiming to harpoon humpback whales for the first time in decades. | A Japanese whaling fleet has set sail aiming to harpoon humpback whales for the first time in decades. |
| The fleet is conducting its largest hunt in the South Pacific - it has instructions to kill up to 1,000 whales, including 50 humpbacks. | The fleet is conducting its largest hunt in the South Pacific - it has instructions to kill up to 1,000 whales, including 50 humpbacks. |
| The humpback hunt is the first since a mid-1960s global ban and has drawn strong protests from environmentalists. | |
| Commercial whaling was stopped in 1986 but Japan is permitted whaling in the name of scientific research. | |
| Four whaling ships, including the lead craft Nisshin Maru, set off from the southern port of Shimonoseki on Sunday. | Four whaling ships, including the lead craft Nisshin Maru, set off from the southern port of Shimonoseki on Sunday. |
| The 239-man mission plans to kill more than 900 minke whales as well as fin whales and humpbacks, in a South Pacific whale hunt that will run until mid-April. | The 239-man mission plans to kill more than 900 minke whales as well as fin whales and humpbacks, in a South Pacific whale hunt that will run until mid-April. |
| The 8,000-metric ton Nisshin Maru was crippled by a fire on a whaling mission in the Antarctic in March. One crew member was killed. | |
| A Greenpeace campaign ship will be following the Japanese fleet. | A Greenpeace campaign ship will be following the Japanese fleet. |
| Sensitive mammals | Sensitive mammals |
| Tokyo's plan to target the humpback - which was hunted to near extinction four decades ago - has drawn condemnation from environmentalists. | Tokyo's plan to target the humpback - which was hunted to near extinction four decades ago - has drawn condemnation from environmentalists. |
| Crowds gathered to wave off the whaling boats | Crowds gathered to wave off the whaling boats |
| "Humpbacks are very sensitive and live in close-knit pods so even one death can be extremely damaging," Greenpeace spokesman Junichi Sato said. | "Humpbacks are very sensitive and live in close-knit pods so even one death can be extremely damaging," Greenpeace spokesman Junichi Sato said. |
| Japanese fisheries officials insist both humpback and fin populations are back to sustainable levels. | Japanese fisheries officials insist both humpback and fin populations are back to sustainable levels. |
| "Humpback whales in our research area are rapidly recovering," said fisheries spokesman Hideki Moronuki. | "Humpback whales in our research area are rapidly recovering," said fisheries spokesman Hideki Moronuki. |
| "Taking 50 humpbacks from a population of tens of thousands will have no significant impact whatsoever." | "Taking 50 humpbacks from a population of tens of thousands will have no significant impact whatsoever." |
| Mr Moronuki said killing whales allowed marine biologists to study their internal organs. | |
| Meat from Japan's scientific catch is sold commercially but Japanese officials deny that the mission plans to make a profit. | Meat from Japan's scientific catch is sold commercially but Japanese officials deny that the mission plans to make a profit. |
| Tokyo argues that whaling is an ancient Japanese tradition, and has pushed unsuccessfully at the International Whaling Commission to reverse the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling. | Tokyo argues that whaling is an ancient Japanese tradition, and has pushed unsuccessfully at the International Whaling Commission to reverse the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling. |
| Environmentalists say Japan's research programme is a pretext for keeping the whaling industry alive. | Environmentalists say Japan's research programme is a pretext for keeping the whaling industry alive. |