Japanese government officials say their nation's whaling fleet is operating only for research purposes, in accordance with international rules.
The statement from Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, Japan's top government spokesman, followed recent collisions in Antarctic waters between Japanese whaling ships and anti-whaling protesters, the Kyoto news service reported Monday.
But he also said he has no detailed information on the collision with Greenpeace vessels off Antarctica earlier this month. Each side is blaming the other for causing the incidents.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
