P735 CEEFAX 735 Tue 30 May 19:13/11 1/2 GOVERNMENT REJECTS WHALING REQUEST The govjrnmjnt of Tonga has rejected a request by a Japanese- based company to hunt whales in its Pacific waters. 5 The Japanese compan , MACA Pacific, has asked if it can h nt 50 humpbackL 200 sperm and 100 minkj whblis every year. 'haling had initially been banned in 1980 by the King of Tonga. His decision to ban whaling lead to the closure of the island'u 3mall whbling industry. 5upppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppz Read Hear 710 Community 720 Round Up Env'nmjnt Cmnt9Info ReligionP735 CEJFAX 735 Tue 30 May 19:10/46 2/2 JAPAN MAY INCREASE WHALE HUVTING It has been reported that Japan plans to increase the number of whblis it hunts. $hj report was featured on a Japanese news service and claimed that Japan had already told the International Whaling Commission (IWC) of it plans. It was also claimed Japan pre3jnted the plans to the IWC at its meet n in Dublin. Japan is a mjmbjr of the IWC but allows non-commercial hunting for "scientific purposes". Round Up Env'nmjnt CmntyInfo Religion