Japan has apparently agreed not to kill humpback whales during its current Antarctic hunt, the US ambassador to Tokyo says.

The move would help ease criticism of its controversial whaling program.

Japan's whaling fleet set sail last month with plans to catch more than 1,000 whales, including 50 humpbacks, which are popular among whale watchers for their distinctive silhouettes and acrobatic leaps, before returning to port early next year.

[Source: ABC News]
9:40:01 PM