In an effort to manipulate potential resolutions, Japan is actively buying the votes and support of numerous countries. Japan’s plan is simple and effective. By recruiting new nations to the IWC — and offering them financial incentives — Japan is literally buying allies who will vote with them. Even some landlocked countries, such as Mongolia, have joined the IWC and vote in lockstep with Japan.

Commission in stalemate
Even without a three-quarters majority, Japan now controls enough votes to stop all forward progress at the IWC — Japan’s pro-whaling voting bloc is large enough to stop the pro-whales (anti-whaling) countries from obtaining enough votes to pass any forward-moving binding resolution. The IWC is stuck.

This bloc has already sunk resolutions that would have established additional whale sanctuaries in the South Pacific and South Atlantic Oceans. Japan and Norway have also stalled the introduction of a whale DNA registry, which the IWC seeks to include in the RMS. This DNA registry could officially expose the existence of illegal whaling in Japan and elsewhere, by identifying the species of whale meat offered for sale in international markets. Independent work by IFAW has already proven that Japan is killing more endangered fin whales than they claim.

Whales are at risk
Japan’s ultimate goal is to amass a pro-whaling voting bloc that will be large enough to control any simple majority votes at future IWC meetings. If they succeed, the commercial whaling moratorium will surely be voted down. Whaling will again be legal, and whales will be killed at a faster rate than ever before.

We cannot let this happen. Help IFAW fight for our whales by donating to our campaign, reading our blog and connecting with us on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and through our Facebook Causes page. Or, visit our action center for more ways your can help save whales.

Learn more about vote-buying, and how it threatens the International Whaling Commission and whales around the world:

• Read a summary of the Vote Buying Report (pdf)
• Read the full Vote Buying Report (pdf)
• Discover information about the IWC’s current and past membership