Japan has moved suddenly to fence itself off from any future challenge to its Antarctic whaling in the International Court of Justice.

After its last whaling program was ruled illegal by the court in a case brought by Australia, its latest plan to restart whaling within weeks has come under strong scientific attack.

Under a new whaling plan, Japan intends to kill nearly 4000 minke whales over the next 12 years. Credit:Tim Watters, Sea Shepherd

Now the Japanese government has told United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in a special declaration that it will take a sweeping exception to the court's jurisdiction.

It says the court's jurisdiction "does not apply to ... any dispute arising out of, concerning, or relating to research on, or conservation, management or exploitation of, living resources of the sea".