Japan has finally confirmed it will commence whaling in the Antarctic this summer, despite the weight of court decisions and scientific opinion against it.

The Japanese government's confirmation of its plan to begin killing nearly 4000 minke whales over 12 years came in letters to the International Whaling Commission published on Saturday.

Minke whales aboard the Japanese factory ship Nisshin Maru in 2014. Japan is to resume whaling this summer. Credit:Tim Watters/Sea Shepherd

This follows months of wrangling over Japan's new "scientific research" plan, after the previous program was ruled illegal by the International Court of Justice in a case brought by Australia.

Since then, Japan has faced trouble trying to fit the new plan, called NEWREP-A, within the terms of the international court's ruling.