HOW come the international community allows this barbaric practice of hunting whales to continue? The Japanese carry on the annual whale slaughter for research, so they say. One wonders, what research?

What have these lovable creatures done to mankind, especially the Japanese? They do no harm to anyone, just live a peaceful life.

Public reaction in Australia was rightly strong: "These barbaric butchers should be blasted out of the water."

The Japanese are not killing whales for research, but for dinner plates. Japan will indiscriminately slaughter any whale it finds in the Southern Ocean.

Japan plans to slaughter 1,000 minke and fin whales, on top of the 7,000 minkes killed over the past 20 years.

This Government should tell them to cease whale hunting immediately, otherwise the Royal Navy will be sent to protect the whales and let them live a normal life in peace and quiet.

Tom Mitchell, Mendip Close, Huntington, York.