[House Document 104-174]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                     

        104th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - - House 
Document 104-174


 
                      WHALING ACTIVITIES OF JAPAN

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

     A REPORT REGARDING CERTIFICATION BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE 
   CONCERNING JAPAN'S RESEARCH WHALING ACTIVITIES THAT DIMINISH THE 
      EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION (IWC) 
          CONSERVATION PROGRAM, PURSUANT TO 22 U.S.C. 1978(b)




  February 13, 1996.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the 
Committees on International Relations and Resources, and ordered to be 
                                printed.
To the Congress of the United States:
    On December 11, 1995, Secretary of Commerce Ronald Brown 
certified under section 8 of the Fishermen's Protective Act of 
1967, as amended (the ``Pelly Amendment'') (22 U.S.C. 1978), 
that Japan has conducted research whaling activities that 
diminish the effectiveness of the International Whaling 
Commission (IWC) conservation program. This message constitutes 
my report to the Congress pursuant to subsection (b) of the 
Pelly Amendment.
    The certification of the Secretary of Commerce was based on 
Japanese research whaling activities in both the North Pacific 
and the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. In 1994, Japan expanded 
its research whaling activities into the North Pacific by 
permitting the taking of 100 minke whales, 21 of which were 
taken. The IWC found that this North Pacific whaling failed to 
satisfy applicable criteria for lethal research and was 
therefore inconsistent with the IWC's conservation program. 
Nevertheless, Japan continued its whaling activities in the 
North Pacific, taking 100 minke whales in 1995. In addition, 
during 1995, Japan increased the number of minke whales to be 
harvested in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary by 33 percent, 
despite a 1994 finding by the IWC that this lethal research 
program did not meet all applicable criteria.
    In his letter to me of December 11, 1995, Secretary Brown 
conveyed his concerns not only over the whales that have been 
killed in this program to date but also over any further 
expansion of lethal research. While noting that the Japanese 
have informed us they have no plans for a further expansion of 
lethal research in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, he 
expressed particular concern over whaling activity in that 
area. I share these concerns.
    At this stage, I do not believe that the use of trade 
sanctions is the most constructive approach to resolving our 
differences over research whaling activities with the 
Government of Japan. However, I have instructed the Department 
of State to convey my very strong concerns to the Government of 
Japan. We will also vigorously pursue high-level efforts to 
persuade Japan to reduce the number of whales killed in its 
research program and act consistently with the IWC conservation 
program. We hope to achieve significant progress on these 
issues by the beginning of the next Antarctic whaling season 
and will keep these issues under review. I have instructed the 
Department of Commerce to continue to monitor closely Japan's 
research whaling and to report promptly on any further 
inconsistencies between Japanese whaling activities and the 
guidelines of the IWC conservation program.

                                                William J. Clinton.
    The White House, February 9, 1996.