The New Zealand Government has expressed concern over reports that Japan will step up efforts to resume its annual whale hunt in the Antarctic, Radio New Zealand reports.
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said the resumption of commercial whaling is unfortunate and unhelpful.
In March this year, the International Court of Justice ruled that Japan's whaling programme had not been for scientific research and was, in fact, illegal commercial whaling in disguise.
The Antarctic hunt stopped after the ruling, but hunting of minke whales continues along Japan's northern coast.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he wants whaling research conducted with the aim of resuming commercial whaling.