Australia begins legal action to stop Japan's whaling: Tokyo

TOKYO: Australia has launched legal action at the International Court of Justice to stop Japan's whaling programme, Japanese officials said Tuesday, calling the move "extremely regrettable".

"We were informed that Australia has filed a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice regarding research whaling. We will discuss how to deal with it," said a fisheries agency official.

Hirofumi Hirano, Japan's top government spokesman, said: "I think it is extremely regrettable. The Japanese government will deal with it properly, based on our position."