WORLD> Asia-Pacific
Australia urged to lobby Japan on whaling
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-09-08 20:52

CANBERRA: The Australian government must act quickly to take advantage of the change of leadership in Japan to end whale hunting, Greenpeace activist Toru Suzuki told reporters on Tuesday.

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In August, Japanese voters ended more than 50 years of conservative rule by electing the center-left Democratic Party led by Yukio Hatoyama who is expected to become prime minister.

The new Japanese leadership has no policy to end whaling at this stage.

However, Suzuki believes the change is a chance for Australia to increase dialogue, rather than take legal action in an international court.

"The Australian government and the Japanese government are starting from a sort of clean sheet so if you bring the international court situation right now, it's like a one way deal, " he said.

"It is a very unique window of opportunity."  

The Rudd government has repeatedly refused to rule out taking legal action against Japan, but maintains its preference is for a diplomatic resolution.