Sea Shepherd offers to 'back off' Japan
![The Sea Shepherd's vessel, Steve Irwin, has chased Japanese whaling ships in the Antarctic ocean. [ABC]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200901/r331247_1493964.jpg "The Sea Shepherd's vessel, Steve Irwin, has chased Japanese whaling ships in the Antarctic ocean. [ABC]")
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The Sea Shepherd's vessel, Steve Irwin, has chased Japanese whaling ships in the Antarctic ocean. [ABC]
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Anti-whaling activists say they are willing to end their aggressive protests against Japan's whale hunt if Australia or New Zealand agree to challenge the whaling in an international court.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, blamed for collisions with the Japanese Antarctic whaling fleet in recent years, says it is willing to "back off" for a season if either country acted.
Last year, the Australian government sent a customs patrol ship to Antarctica to gather photo evidence of the Japanese hunt to use in a possible International Court of Justice challenge.
But environment minister Peter Garrett says that while the government is keeping the option of court action open, it is seeking a diplomatic solution to avoid damaging its trade relationship with Japan.
Mr Garrett's office has not commented on the Sea Shepherd's offer.
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