Japan's decision to leave the International Whaling Commission could have consequences on subsistence whaling by Alaska Natives.
Japan announced last month that it's leaving the commission to resume commercial whaling for the first time in 30 years, Alaska's Energy Desk reported Friday.
The international commission banned commercial whaling in the 1980s as the whale population dwindled.
"It would be in our best interest to have Japan remain with the IWC," said John Hopson Jr, chairman of the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission.
"They were a strong ally of ours in obtaining our quota."