The International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague has ordered Japan to cease its whaling in the Antarctic.
Japan has long claimed that its whale hunting was for scientific research, with the meat being sold as a by-product.
However, Australia disputed this claim, and took the case all the way to the UN’s highest court, where the judges dismissed the idea that Japan needed to kill 900 whales per year for scientific purposes, and called it commercial whaling in all but name.
Tokya has said that they are “deeply disappointed” with the decision, but would comply and stop all whaling in in the Antarctic.
Campaigners hope that this ruling will lead to the end of whaling around the world.
