Introduction

With Japan’s withdrawal from the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW), dynamics within the International Whaling Commission (IWC) have changed dramatically. However, controversy has accompanied the IWC for many years. This chapter briefly traces some of the major elements of what constitutes this controversy and provides some background against the backdrop of which the subsequent chapters should be read. It furthermore provides a brief glimpse into current Japanese whaling activities (2023) that are carried out without the oversight of the IWC. Finally, the chapter summarises the chapters of the study in order to provide for a smooth narrative spanning throughout.