AKIPRESS.COM - The Japanese government has vowed to restart its controversial whaling programme in the Antarctic next year.

The move comes despite the International Whaling Commission's vote on Thursday that the programme is illegal because it is not for research purposes and should stop, reports BBC.

Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the IWC's decision was "regrettable".

Japan maintains its annual hunt is solely for research.

But the meat from the slaughtered whales is sold commercially in Japan.

Participants at the IWC's meeting in Slovenia passed the non-binding resolution with a 35-20 majority.

It was adopted from an International Court of Justice ruling earlier this year stating that Japan's hunt did not meet the requirements to be "scientific".