The Party's Special Committee on Whaling (Chairperson: Yasukazu Hamada, Member of the House of Representatives) and Parliamentary League in Support of Whaling (Chairperson: Shunichi Suzuki, Member of the House of Representatives) held a joint meeting on September 28 to discuss policies for the plenary session of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) scheduled to be held in Slovenia in late October.

Though it is unclear whether commercial whaling will resume, one of the main items on the agenda for the plenary session is "Small-Type Coastal Whaling by Japan." In the meeting, the participants argued that the government of Japan "cannot keep on doing things as before" and the reasons given by anti-whaling countries for opposing Japan's proposed catch limit require rigorous scrutiny.

The group also confirmed the importance of explaining the scientific rationale for conducting the "Scientific Whale Research Programs (Southern Ocean, Northwest Pacific Ocean)."

Additionally, a report was made on the settlement of litigations between the Institute of Cetacean Research and Sea Shepherd USA. The suit sought an injunction against interference, and the settlement included a ban on physical attacks on the Japanese research fleet.

League Chairperson Suzuki expressed his intent to continue "defending traditional Japanese culture" based on scientific rationale, and to uphold the principle of resuming whaling. Committee Chairperson Hamada called for support on screening 'Behind "The Cove"' in the United States, a documentary film that examines the mystery of the whaling problem.