Despite earlier denials, Japan's Fisheries Agency has now admitted that its officials accepted gifts of whale meat from the organisation that runs the country's scientific whaling programme.
The agency says that at least five of its officials accepted the whale meat.
One took home about 500 - 600kg of whale meat.
Earlier this year the ABC reported that officials and whaling crew members were illegally taking valuable cuts of whale meat.
At the time the Fisheries Agency denied the accusations, but the ABC reports it has now reprimanded the officials involved for taking $A3000 worth of meat - as fraction of the amount reported to be involved.
Agency spokesman Toyohiko Ota has publicly apologised for the scandal.
"I deeply apologise for this act in which officials took whale meat," he said.
"It's an act for which we will lose credibility. We will take prevention measures so it will never happen again."
