TOKYO , Japan ( CNN ) -- Japan will lobby a dozen members of the International Whaling Commission at a meeting Monday to support its much-criticized Antarctic whaling program -- just three days before all members of the commission meet in London to discuss reaching an agreement on whale conservation rules . Japan 's annual hunt kills up to 1,000 whales a year . Japan 's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the nation 's fisheries agency will make their case to officials from Angola , Eritrea , Congo , Guinea , Ghana , Malawi , Tanzania , Palau , Micronesia , Cambodia , Laos and Vanuatu , a government spokesperson said . Several of the countries are new to the 78-member whaling commission . Two months ago , Japan `` temporarily halted '' its plan for a humpback whale hunt in the seas near Antarctica as what it said was a gesture to enhance the dialogue at the International Whaling Commission , which remains torn over whaling . Japan , which says it is conducting the hunt as part of scientific research , believes the practice is environmentally and scientifically sound . The country 's annual hunt kills up to 1,000 whales a year -- the fisheries agency insists it wants `` sustainable whaling . '' However , many in the international community -- particularly Australia -- believe that such hunts amount to needless slaughter . Critics believe that calling it research is just a pretext for retrieving whale meat to be sold in markets and restaurants . Greenpeace spokesman Junichi Sato told CNN that Monday 's meeting is nothing more than Japan `` wining and dining its way to win votes . ''
Japan will lobby IWC members to support its Antarctic whaling program . Move ahead of IWC meeting on reaching agreement on whale conservation rules . Japan claims it is conducting the hunt as part of scientific research . Comment: