VOA常速英语2007年-Japan Backs Down from Hunting Humpbacks

By Heda Bayron
Hong Kong
21 December 2007

Japan has backed down from a highly controversial plan to hunt endangered humpback whales off Antarctica, after fierce criticism by Australia. The Japanese whaling fleet, however, still plans to hunt almost 1,000 whales this season. VOA's Heda Bayron reports from our Asia News Center in Hong Kong.

Japan's decision Friday will save 50 humpback whales that Japanese whalers had planned to catch and kill in Antarctic waters.

Environmental group Greenpeace welcomed the decision, but the Japanese whaling fleet is still planning to catch around a 1,000 minke and fin¹ whales - its largest catch ever - for what the government calls "scientific research."

Japan has been under pressure from conservation groups, the United States, Australia and New Zealand not to hunt humpback whales - which are considered near extinction².

Australia increased that pressure Wednesday when it announced it would send a ship and planes to track the Japanese fleet and gather evidence that could be used to mount a legal challenge to Japanese whaling.

Greenpeace Australia's chief Steve Shallhorn, says it was Australia's firm stand that forced Tokyo's turnaround.

"I think there's little doubt the Australian intervention³ has caused Tokyo to change its mind," he said. "I think the Japanese government found that they could not defend the killing⁴ of humpback whales, which are listed under appendix A of the CITES convention, which is the international trade on endangered species convention."

A Japanese government spokesman says Friday's decision was made after talks with the International Whaling Commission, which is currently chaired by the United States.

The spokesman says he hopes his government's decision will lead to better ties with Australia.

Although Tokyo vigorously defends the whale hunt as scientific research, whale meat - a delicacy⁵ in Japan - ends up in supermarkets. On Wednesday, Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said bluntly that the Japanese hunt was not science, but "the slaughter⁶ of whales."

1 fin   

n.鳍；(飞机的)安定翼

参考例句：

• They swim using a small fin on their back.它们用背上的小鳍游动。
• The aircraft has a long tail fin.那架飞机有一个长长的尾翼。

2 extinction   

n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种

参考例句：

• The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
• The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

3 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

4 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

5 delicacy   

n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴

参考例句：

• We admired the delicacy of the craftsmanship.我们佩服工艺师精巧的手艺。
• He sensed the delicacy of the situation.他感觉到了形势的微妙。

6 slaughter   

n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀

参考例句：

• I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
• Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。