Members of the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums finished voting Tuesday on whether to remain part of a global zoo body that suspended the association over the acquisition of dolphins caught in drive hunts off the town of Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture.
The outcome of the vote on whether the Japanese body should remain a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums will be announced Wednesday. If a majority effectively chooses to continue accepting the dolphins, JAZA is expected to be expelled from the world body, possibly making it difficult for Japanese zoos and aquariums to seek overseas cooperation for breeding rare animals and other matters.
The vote came after the global organization suspended JAZA's membership last month on the grounds that Japanese aquariums and zoos had "violated the code of ethics" on acquiring dolphins.