"Anti-whaling countries and lobbies accuse Japan's scientific whaling of being a front for commercial whaling."

"In May 1994, the IWC also voted to create the 11.8 million square mile Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.[18] The vote to adopt the sanctuary resolution was twenty-three in favour, one opposed (Japan) and six abstaining."

"Since the moratorium was adopted, the support for it has dropped from a 75% majority to a 50-50 split, with many of the countries initially recruited by the anti-whaling side now voting with the pro-whaling block. (A 75% majority is needed to overturn the moratorium.)"