Australian opposition
Due to the proximity to Australia the government of Australia has been particularly vocal in its opposition to Japan's whaling activity in the Southern Pacific. In 1994, Australia claimed a 200-nautical-mile (370 km) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around the Australian Antarctic Territory, which also includes a southerly portion of the IWC Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. In December 2007, the Rudd government announced plans to monitor Japanese whalers about to enter Australian waters in order to gather evidence for a possible international legal challenge[122][123][124][125] and on January 8, 2008 the Australian government sent the Australian customs vessel Oceanic Viking to track and monitor the fleet.[126] Although this vessel was later redeployed on customs-related business to waters north of Australia, as of January 2010, it is not in pursuit of the Japanese whaling fleet.
In late 2009, the Prime Minister of Australia restated official objections to Japan's whaling programs and threatened to take legal action through international courts.[127][128]
Well, if we cannot resolve this matter diplomatically, will take international legal action. I'm serious about it, I would prefer to deal with it diplomatically, but if we cannot get there, that's the alternative course of action. [127]
Australian PM Kevin Rudd, 2009
On 28 May 2010, the Australian Government publicly announced that it would lodge formal proceedings against Japan in the International Court of Justice in The Hague the following week. A joint ministerial statement said the government “has not taken this decision lightly”. In an Australian election year, this meets a key election pledge from 2007.