Japan, Australia agree to disagree over whaling

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Australia and Japan have agreed to disagree over Tokyo's whaling in the South Pacific and the spat will not hurt bilateral ties, Australia's foreign minister said on Friday. Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, wrapping up a two-day visit to Japan, said the issue was not expected to derail strengthening economic and security relations, even after Japan resumed a whale hunt interrupted by anti-whaling activists.

By Chisa Fujioka

TOKYO (Reuters) - Australia and Japan have agreed to disagree over Tokyo's whaling in the South Pacific and the spat will not hurt bilateral ties, Australia's foreign minister said on Friday.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, wrapping up a two-day visit to Japan, said the issue was not expected to derail strengthening economic and security relations, even after Japan resumed a whale hunt interrupted by anti-whaling activists.

"Whilst we have a strong disagreement, this is not an issue, which in my view, is, or can, or will adversely impact upon the fundamentals of our partnership with Japan," he told a news conference.

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Smith earlier told Australian media that he did not feel insulted by Japan's decision to resume a plan to kill 850 minke whales and 50 fin whales in the Southern Ocean on the day he arrived in Japan.

Japan suspended the hunt after two anti-whaling activists boarded a Japanese whaling ship near Antarctica last month, in a standoff that ended with the two being handed over to an Australian fisheries patrol ship.

"These things occur," Smith was quoted as saying in a transcript. "I regard this as a coincidence."

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who met with Smith earlier, said the issue should be handled calmly.

"What is more important is not to make these things negatively influence diplomatic negotiations," he was quoted as saying by Kyodo news agency.

Japan has been Australia's biggest trading partner since 1957. The two countries signed a defense pact last year and are in talks toward a free trade agreement, though this has been slowed by Japan's reluctance to open up its agricultural sector.

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Australia's Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus told Australian radio that at least five whales had been so far been taken by the Japanese whale boats, and the Australian customs ship the Oceanic Viking would continue to monitor the whale hunt.

"It is deeply regrettable that whaling should be taking place again, against the wishes of the Australian people," Debus said.

But a Japanese Fisheries Agency official defended whaling, saying that branding all whaling as "totally evil" would leave no room for international dialogue.

"Our goal, and (that) of all so-called whaling countries, is the utilization of only abundant species of whales under harvesting quotas, under international control and at the same time, protection of endangered species of whales," said Joji Morishita, director for international negotiations at the agency.

Japan, which considers whaling to be a cherished cultural tradition, abandoned commercial whaling in accordance with an international moratorium in 1986, but began what it calls a scientific research whaling program the following year.

Whaling ends up in Japanese supermarkets and restaurants, though the public appetite for what is now a delicacy is waning.

Greenpeace Japan's executive director, Jun Hoshikawa said debate over whaling was needed within Japan.

"The whaling issue has had a very sad history of being framed (as a) battle between Japan, Japanese people versus outsiders," he told a news conference.

"But that's not true at all. And from now on, I think the battle should be fought within Japan -- between us, the civil sector, the Japanese public and the Japanese government." (Additional reporting by James Grubel in Canberra)

(Reporting by Chisa Fujioka; editing by Sophie Hardach)