Nations, led by Brazil and the UK have issued a formal diplomatic statement known as a demarche to the Japanese government. The demarche was delivered to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 16th, and to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry yesterday. It calls on Japan to, "cease all its lethal scientific research on whales". UK government's press release:

In the 31 years prior to the introduction of the commercial whaling moratorium, only 840 whales were killed globally by Japan for scientific research. More than 6,800 Antarctic Minke Whales have already been killed in Antarctic waters under the 18 years of the Japanese Whale Research Programme.

Their goal is to kill more whales every year for "research" than they did for research in the entire 31 years before the moratorium went into effect. The IWC Scientific Committee has also claimed their self governed quota's are unacceptable and has no scientific basis.

Several other nations have also criticised Icelandic and Norwegian whaling operation as they deem it to be in violation of international trade laws under CITES as they are illegal exporting endangered whale meat to Japan. Where only a proportion is sold, the rest is stock piled, given away free and placed in pet food.

The nations listed below have voted to stop illegal whaling and will continue to be opposed against the three major whaling nations until their international violations stop.