Not In Our Backyard - Anti-whalers

Anti-whaling campaigners called on Australian Prime Minister John Howard to press Japan to stop hunting whales in national waters, drawing a Japanese response not to get emotional. In an open letter signed by prominent Australians headed by former prime minister Malcolm Fraser, they on Wednesday accused Japan of seeking to add 50 "Australian" humpback whales to their annual cull. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is among world leaders heading to Sydney this week where he will meet Howard during a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. However, a Japanese official said it was unclear if the whaling issue would be discussed when Howard and Abe sit down for talks together Saturday. It complained about a significant increase in the number of whales that Japan plans to take this year in an annual cull, justified by the Japanese on cultural and scientific grounds...