Japan Today reported on January 9 that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke up about Japan’s whaling plans during a phone call with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Tokyo has maintained a whaling program under scientific auspices since 1986. However, this year the government will be changing its approach and reintroducing commercial whaling. It withdrew from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in December. According to a statement by Canada, Trudeau “raised the important issue of whale conservation and commitment to working with international partners to protect whale species.”