On July 1, Japan announced it would leave the International Whaling Commission to resume commercial whaling within its exclusive economic zone. Hours after ships left ports across Japan, two minke whales were caught by whalers and brought ashore.

Whalers are delighted by the policy shift, but many around the world have been left outraged and confused as to why Japan is so keen to continue its hunts. Staff writer Sakura Murakami joins Oscar Boyd to discuss.

This episode is brought to you by Cicerone and its new guidebook "Hiking and Trekking in the Japan Alps and Mount Fuji," which features 27 walks and treks across the Japan Alps and in the Mt Fuji area. Order your copy now at: https://www.cicerone.co.uk/japan?refer=deep

See more:

• Deep Dive on Twitter

• Sakura Murakami on Twitter

• Oscar Boyd on Twitter

• The Japan Times' reporting on whaling

Photo by Kyodo