Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully has criticised Japan for continuing to kill whales in the Southern Ocean, saying it reflects badly on it.
A minke whale on the deck of a Japanese ship in the Southern Ocean (file) Photo: AFP / Institute of Cetacean Research
More than 300 whales have been taken by the Japanese fleet in the past four months, despite international condemnation.
New Zealand participated in the International Court of Justice case that ruled Japan's whaling programme to be illegal in 2014.
Mr McCully said the government would continue to oppose Japan's whaling in every practical and lawful way.
The fact that Japan had chosen to resume whaling despite the judgement against it reflected poorly on its international citizenship, he said.
Conservation group Sea Shepherd said the Australian and New Zealand governments had done nothing to stop the whalers.