AUSTRALIA is taking Japan to international court to stop whaling in Antarctic waters, following through on a threat made earlier this year.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said today that Rudd government would lodge an application in the International Court of Justice in The Hague next week.
Threats of court action made by Kevin Rudd risked a major diplomatic rift, Japanese officials warned earlier this year.
But Mr Smith said today he had spoken to the Japanese Foreign Minister and they agreed the case would not harm the bilateral relationship.
Environment Protection Minister Peter Garrett told reporters in Sydney: “We want to see an end to whales being killed in the name of science in the Southern Ocean.”
A joint ministerial statement said the government “has not taken this decision lightly”.

“We have been patient and committed in our efforts to find a diplomatic resolution to this issue. We have engaged in intensive discussions in the International Whaling Commission and bilaterally with Japan.
“But to date, the response of the whaling countries has not been positive.
“Recent statements by whaling countries in the commission have provided Australia with little cause for hope that our serious commitment to conservation of the world's whales will be reflected in any potential IWC compromise agreement.”
In March, Mr Rudd told The Australian: ``If necessary, we'll take it to the ICJ before the next whaling season commences. I don't think I can be plainer than that.''
Greens leader Bob Brown said the court action would not stop the whaling fleets soon enough and the announcement was an election ploy.
``It's belated, it's welcome, but it's not enough,'' he told reporters in Hobart.
``They know it's not going to see any finality before the election. It is very careful election engineering, rather than any stay on the harpoons.
``The Japanese whaling fleet will be back down here in summer and it knows the Australian government is going to do nothing about that at all.''