The United States will slap sanctions on Japan unless Tokyo drops its expanded whaling program for research purposes, U.S. Commerce Secretary Norman Mineta said Monday.
"This is a very serious matter," Mineta said. "We will take the strongest action necessary in order to make sure that the Japanese do not take any sperm or bryde's whale."
Six Japanese whaling ships are heading for the northwestern Pacific to catch up to 160 whales during a two-month period through late September.
The haul, in addition to minke whales, will include sperm whales and bryde's whales, a program drawing a sharp reaction from Washington.