SEOUL, June 21 (Xinhuanet) -- Japan's bid for resuming commercial whaling was defeated Tuesday at an annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) held at South Korea's port of Ulsan.

    Japan's proposal to resume limited commercial hunting of whales was voted down by 29 votes to 23 with five abstentions, failing even to secure the simple majority of the 66-member group.

    Actually the proposal had no way to be adopted by the commission because it takes a three-fourths majority of IWC states to approve major policy changes.

    Japan said it was for a management scheme that would promote sustainable commercial whaling. It plans to double its annual catch of minke whales from 440 to 850 under its scientific whaling program.

    Its plan to dramatically expand its research program also includes hunting 10 fin whales a year for the first two years, although it says it will not hunt humpbacks for another two years.

    Australia, New Zeland and other anti-whaling nations have been highly critical of the plan and conservation groups said the program is actual commercial whaling in the guise of science.

    Anti-whaling nations and environmentalists argued that the plan was riddled with holes and would allow for more whales to be killed. Enditem