TOKYO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Japanese whaling fleet in the Antarctic Ocean suffered from anti-whaling activists' fresh attack on Friday, the Japan Coast Guard said.

    The Nisshin Maru, a factory ship of the Japanese whaling fleet, fell under attack of bottles containing chemicals at around 12:35 p.m. Japanese time from activists on the ship of Steve Irwin which belongs to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

    There was no report of injuries among the Japanese crew.

Activists from the Sea Shepherd group, Ralph Lowe (L) and former Dutch police officer Laurens de Groot, throw bottles at the Japanese whaling ship Nisshin Maru from their vessel, the Steve Irwin, in the Southern Ocean March 3, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura defended Japan's research-aimed whaling activities and criticized the attack.

    The Nisshin Maru was just attacked on Monday by activists aboard the Steve Irwin with bottles containing chemicals.

    While the Japanese side reported injuries of two crew member and one coast guard, anti-whaling activists accused the Japanese side of firing at them.

    Japan kills about 1,000 whales annually. It has always been claiming that its whaling program is for scientific purpose and the world whale populations could afford a limited catch.

    According to the Japanese agriculture, forestry and fishery ministry, Japan's original hunting target for the current season was 1,035 whales, including 50 precious humpbacks.

    The country wiped off the humpbacks from the target list in mid December under the IWC's proposal.