With decades of whale research under his belt, Seiji Ohsumi, director general of the Institute of Cetacean Research, was around when Japan ceased commercial whaling and is now at the forefront of the nation's push to resume the program.

To the dismay of many environmental groups and some governments, Japan has decided to increase by its annual catch of North Pacific minke to 150 by taking 50 along the Japanese coast, roughly between Miyagi Prefecture and Hokkaido, while maintaining its catch of 440 minke from the South Pacific.

"Our major goal is to determine exactly what minke whales along the coast are eating," Ohsumi said.