The Japanese whaling fleet departed Shimonoseki , Yamaguchi Prefecture for the southern oceans on December 6 , 2011 with an announced goal of hunting 935 minke whales , 50 fin whales and 50 humpback whales . The fleet also carried an augmented security team of coast guard personnel . The hunt was funded , in part , by ¥ 2.3 billion from the Japanese government 's 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami relief budget . The Japanese government explained that the use of its money to support the whaling program was justified as one of the whaling ships was home-ported in Tōhoku
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society operations