Japan to target Antarctic's minke whale despite ban

Japan plans to resume its slaughter of minke whales in the Antarctic Ocean next year, an official said on Wednesday, despite an order from the UN's top court to stop all whaling in the area.

Tokyo was forced to abandon its 2013-14 hunt in March when the International Court of Justice said the annual expedition was a commercial activity masquerading as research.

But a new policy announced by the pro-whaling government on Tuesday hopes to bypass this ruling by giving the controversial mission a more scientific focus.