Japan has attracted scathing criticism over killings of dolphins during past few years. The coastal town of Taiji is known to divert dolphins from the Pacific Ocean into a cove and then killing some of them for their meat. Japan has faced worldwide criticism after release of the 2009 Academy Award winning documentary, 'The Cove'.

According to conservation group Sea Shepherd, 41 bottlenose dolphins have been killed this year. It's not dolphins that are killed by Japan, but whales too. It is not a secret that Japan sends hunters to kill about 1,000 whales every year.

Minke whales are their main target along with some humpback and fin whales. Japan is able to hunt whales because of an old agreement dating back to 1946. According to the agreement, governments can grant permission to authorize killings, taking and treating whales for purposes of scientific research.

Japan has been dragged to the International Court of Justice by Australian government over whale killings. It was argued that Japan hunts whales every year by disguising the whole world in the name of scientific research.

Even if Japan loses the case at the ICJ, it could continue whale hunting by ignoring the ruling. But doing so, Japan is highly likely to put a wrong impression and damage its global reputation.