New Zealand protests at Japanese whaling ship entering its maritime zone
- 10 years ago
Originally published on February 10, 2014
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New Zealand summoned a senior Japanese diplomat on Monday (February 10) to complain about a Japanese whaler entering the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
New Zealand asked Japan to order its whalers to steer clear of its maritime zone, which extends to 200 nautical miles offshore, after a collision between a New Zealand and a Japanese vessel in international waters last week.
Despite the warning, the Shonun Maru No. 2 whaler entered New Zealand's EEZ to pursue the anti-whaling vessel Steve Irwin, which is operated by the environmental group Sea Shepherd and runs a campaign every year aimed at disrupting Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean.
Japan said that the vessel did not breach New Zealand's territorial waters, which extend 12 nautical miles from the coast, but the EEZ, which any ship is allowed to enter according to international rules.
While the vessel was legally inside the EEZ, however, New Zealand made it clear to Japanese officials on Friday that Japan's vessel was not welcome.
Japan justified the action by saying that the vessel entered the EEZ to pursue the Steve Irwin as a necessary safety measure to protect crewmembers and the ship from Sea Shepherd's attacks.
Japan hunts whales under a scientific research provision in the moratorium on whaling.
New Zealand is one of the strongest opponents of Japan's whaling programme and according to reports it might take further action after this incident, Reuters reported.
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New Zealand summoned a senior Japanese diplomat on Monday (February 10) to complain about a Japanese whaler entering the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
New Zealand asked Japan to order its whalers to steer clear of its maritime zone, which extends to 200 nautical miles offshore, after a collision between a New Zealand and a Japanese vessel in international waters last week.
Despite the warning, the Shonun Maru No. 2 whaler entered New Zealand's EEZ to pursue the anti-whaling vessel Steve Irwin, which is operated by the environmental group Sea Shepherd and runs a campaign every year aimed at disrupting Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean.
Japan said that the vessel did not breach New Zealand's territorial waters, which extend 12 nautical miles from the coast, but the EEZ, which any ship is allowed to enter according to international rules.
While the vessel was legally inside the EEZ, however, New Zealand made it clear to Japanese officials on Friday that Japan's vessel was not welcome.
Japan justified the action by saying that the vessel entered the EEZ to pursue the Steve Irwin as a necessary safety measure to protect crewmembers and the ship from Sea Shepherd's attacks.
Japan hunts whales under a scientific research provision in the moratorium on whaling.
New Zealand is one of the strongest opponents of Japan's whaling programme and according to reports it might take further action after this incident, Reuters reported.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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