Tokyo, Japan - U.S. Commerce Secretary Norman Y. Mineta announced today that the United States and Japan have agreed to request that the International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee convene a workshop on research whaling. The workshop will be held prior to the IWC's summer 2002 annual meeting.

The workshop will critically review both lethal and non lethal methodologies for whale research.

Secretary Mineta said, "The United States remains deeply concerned about Japan's lethal research program. We believe this workshop will allow careful examination of the variety of techniques that can be used to reduce lethal research on whales."