Greenpeace says financial problems hampering Japan's whaling industry show it's not viable for Japanese people.
Commentators say recent whale meat embezzlement scandals and regulatory breaches within Japan's whaling fleet badly damaged the image of the industry.
Now the financial climate is reportedly bringing the industry to its knees.
Reflecting the drop in demand, Japan's whaling programme this week announced the closure of the whaling industry's flagship 'Yushin' whale meat outlet in Tokyo due to ongoing financial problems.
Greepeace New Zealand Oceans Campaigner, Karli Thomas, says whaling isn't a viable or justifiable industry in this day and age and most Japanese oppose whaling on the high seas.
"Well at his point in time there is no justification for whaling programme to continue. The Japanese government is taking tax money from its own citizens, most of whom don't support the whaling programme on the high seas, and they are also influencing small countries to vote with them at the international whaling commission, which is completely against the wishes of their own people."
Karli Thomas.
