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Japan has [resumed / presumed] commercial whaling after a hiatus of over three decades. Commercial whaling was [binned / banned] in 1986 by an International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium. However, Japan [withdrew / withered] from the IWC in December. Japan's government has promised all whalers will stay [without / within] 320 kilometers from its [coastal / coast] . The Japanese fisheries agency set a [quote / quota] for killing 227 whales every six months. In the [first / fast] days of resumed whaling, whalers caught two minke whales, [what / which] were taken to the northern port of Kushiro. The whale meat was auctioned in Tokyo and sold for record [prices / price] . Eager restaurant owners snapped [up / down] the meat at prices of up to $140 per kilo.

Japan has [engaged / divorced] in the practice of whaling for [centuries / century] . Whale restaurant chef Mitsuo Tani summed [up / down] why he thought the return of commercial whaling was [importantly / important] . He said: "A country that does not preserve its food [cultured / culture] has no future." He also promoted the health [beneficial / benefits] of whale meat. He said: "It is five times lower [on / in] calories than beef, 10 times lower in cholesterol, two times less fat than chicken and it's packed [by / with] iron. But abroad, people do not know this." However, Japan's return to whaling has brought international [outcry / crying] . The Humane Society accused Japan of starting a "new and shocking era of pirate whaling". It added: "This is a sad day for whale protection [globe / globally] ."