If Australian or New Zealand Navy fired upon illegal Japanese whaling ships in our waters would we go to war ?

Question

Illegal Japanese Whalling is a sensitive issue in Australia and New Zealand, they actually asked for our Naval protection for their immoral and illegal practices in Antarctica and Australian Territorial waters, so if we fired upon them, as we have previously run them out of our waters, would we go to war with Japan ?

Answer 1

If we (NZ) didn't go to war with France for an act of terrorism in Auckland harbour in the 1980s we aren't going to go to war with anyone over whales.

Actually, the above person is right, by and large they aren't breaking laws exactly. Just that the 'research' is likely to be complete rubbish and thinly covered whaling for commercial purposes.

Answer 2

That's an interesting question. I recall an instance in the early 1970s when the Soviet Union took several Japanese fishing boats into custody (along with their crews) for intruding into the Soviet self-proclaimed economic zone. The Japanese responded by sending virtually everyone of their destroyers to sea. When the Soviets realized at the time that Japan had more destroyers than the U.S. Navy the fishing vessels were quickly released.
I would not suggest firing on the whaling ships. However, you could board and seize the crews. The Kiwis could put them on Campbell Island and the Aussies on Marguerite Island to harvest the non-native cats and such that are killing off the other species on those islands.

Answer 3

Firstly there is no illegal Japanese whaling it's all done in accordance with international law (sadly)

Secondly no it wouldn't cause a war but would spark a major diplomatic incident.

Answer 4

Do you even know the extent of your territorial waters kid??


What the Japanese do in International waters is their business!

And you have no legal justification to use force on an unarmed vessel!!!

Answer 5

probably not but if they did declare war every gun slinging nuke weilding nation would be on your side