PACIFIC: Speculation Japan will backdown on humpbacks

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Updated December 20, 2007 16:53:19

Diplomatic pressure from countries including Australia has Japan on the verge of giving up its plans to kill humpback whales in the Southern Ocean this summer. The backdown could be announced as early as tomorrow when western nations are expected to lodge a high level protest with Japan's government. Whales are economically significant to Pacific Island nations such as Tonga with whale watching as part of its tourism industry. It's been suggested that each live whale is worth an extra one million dollars to the Tongan economy, which is why tourist operaters in the Kingdom have strongly opposed Japan's whaling program. North Asia correspondent Shane McLeod reports the backdown over the killing of humpback whales won't stop Japan killing up to 900 other whales this season.

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Presenter: Shane McLeod

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