Japanese whalers sail despite row

Japan has steadily increased its annual whale catch

A Japanese fleet has set sail for Antarctica on a whaling programme to catch hundreds of whales, in defiance of strong international criticism.

There's undoubtedly a large commercial element in [the trip]

WWF spokesperson

The expedition - the second in this year - comes a day after US President Bill Clinton urged the Japanese to stop their expanded whaling programme, threatening sanctions if they did not comply.

Japanese officials said 400 minke whales would be caught by next April for "scientific research".

Japan has hunted over 500 large whales this year

Critics argue that "research trips" are a cover, as they do not breach the international moratorium on commercial whaling.

"Unfortunately, it's not technically illegal," Cassandra Phillips, the Worldwide Fund for Nature's whale co-ordinator, told BBC News Online.

"We think it's commercial whaling in disguise."

Ceremony for crew

The crews of the five whaling vessels received a rousing send-off from about 700 relatives, government officials and local residents as they left the port of Shimonoseki, south-western Japan.

Much of the whale meat is sold in shops and restaurants, say critics

Against a backdrop of fireworks, streamers and balloons released into the sky, a top fisheries official gave encouragement to the crews.

"I would like you to pursue your duties and not worry about the actions that anti-whaling groups may take to distract you from your work," Shoji Kawamoto, deputy director of Japan's Fisheries Agency, said.

"The scientific data which is gained through these hunts is very important."

Meat to be sold

Officials said the research, to aid management of whale populations, would look at the numbers of whales born and dying annually, as well as their age and where they live.

Japan has specialist whale meat restaurants

Critics say much of the whale meat lands up in shops and restaurants, where it is sold at a high price.

"There's undoubtedly a large commercial element in it," Ms Phillips said.

However, she said the main motive for the trips was to keep the whaling industry alive.

Whale meat was an important source of protein in Japan after World War Two, but with dwindling supplies, it is now an expensive delicacy.

Clinton's appeal

On Thursday, Mr Clinton appealed to Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori at an Asia-Pacific economic summit to cut down on the number of whales Japan hunts.

Japan has steadily been increasing its annual catch of whales, from 273 whales caught in 1988 to a planned total of 600 this year.

The whalers have said they will focus on the less-controversial minke whales, and try not to catch Bryde's or sperm whales, as they did earlier this year.