TOKYO: Japan yesterday held talks with dozens of countries to plot the future of the global whaling body, but most Western states boycotted the meeting as a charade aimed at resuming commercial hunting.

The three-day meeting kicked off to a small protest by environmentalists, who accused the delegates of being bought off by Japanese money.

Japan invited all 72 members of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to take part but, in a sign it is nearly split down the middle, 34 countries showed up.