Japan under fire over decision to resume whaling

Officials maintain a third of previous numbers will be caught and insist plan is scientifically sound

Japan is set to resume whaling early next year, after a break of more than 12 months, in defiance of an international court of justice ruling that it cease the practice.

The Japanese government says it has taken into account the court ruling and its "scientific" whaling programme will catch only a third of the minke whales it caught under its previous programme - 333 instead of 1,000 - which it halted in March last year.