The Whaling Conflict Between Japan and Australia

Abstract: In this study, the conflict between pro-whaling Japan and anti-whaling Australia is scrutinised. The political structure system, the political economics and the cultural explanatory factors are examined from how the conflict has emerged out of the 1986 International Whaling Commission’s moratorium (Baylis et al, 2008: 308). Further to this, the different state views of Japan and Australia are examined out of different environmental perspectives, these being anthropocentricism and biocentricism (Huxham et al, 2000:142-169). This combined with the traditional policy paradigm and the policy of sustainable development can explain how Japan and Australia’s whaling policies differ, and the factors that can explain the conflict (Carter, 2007: 174-180).