Act for Ensuring Sustainable Use of Whales（Act No. 76 of 2017）.

This Act is enacted to ensure the development of the fishery sector and its related industries and to contribute to sustainable use of marine living resources.
The State will have the responsibility for comprehensively developing and implementing measures for ensuring sustainable use of whales in accordance with the fundamental principles for ensuring sustainable use of whales set forth in the Article 3. Measures pertaining to whale fishery will be taken based on the following principles: whale fishery will be operated within the catch limits; whale fishery will be operated in accordance with treaties and other international agreements concluded by Japan, as well as in accordance with established international law; whale fishery will be operated smoothly with appropriate support, considering the circumstances surrounding whale fishery.
The Act further provides for the development of the basic policy and scientific whale research programs, establishment of a system for conducting scientific whale research, measures for the appropriate and smooth operation of whale fishery, measures for the prevention of and addressing acts of interference, and other requirements, in light of whales being an important food resource which should be used in a sustainable manner based on scientific evidence, and of the importance in Japan of succession of the traditional culinary and other cultures and dietary practices involving whales, and of ensuring the diversity in the use of whales.