Japan will accept an international court ruling that its whaling program is not conducted for scientific purposes and that such activity should be stopped, a government official quoted Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as saying Wednesday.

"It is extremely regrettable and disappointing, but Japan will abide by the ruling," Abe reportedly said.

He made the remark in a meeting with Koji Tsuruoka, who represented the government in the case presented to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.