the World Wide Fund for Nature ( wwf ), has urged the us government to immediately impose economic sanctions on Japan because of its expanded whaling programme.

Norman Mineta, the us c ommerce secretary had earlier announced that the Clinton administration will impose sanctions against Japan if the country starts catching Bryde's whales or sperm whales under its research whaling program. Richard Mott, vice president of wwf , said that six Japanese ships had recently left for northwestern Pacific Ocean to catch bryde's whales, sperm whales and minke whales.

According to Japanese government officials, the population of bryde's and sperm whales, both protected species, has recovered sufficiently to resume their hunting.