JAPAN WANTS ANTI-WHALING SHIP BARRED FROM PORTS

The Sea Shepherd group says its anti-whaling ship, the Steve Irwin, has left pursuit of Japan's whaling fleet after activists chased it for 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) and last month lobbed bottles of rancid butter at the fleet. It is now headed to port to refuel. Sea Shepherd suggested on its Web site it will seek a port call in Australia, but has not provided further details.


Japan, which considers the actions of the Steve Irwin to be tantamount to piracy, reacted Tuesday by saying it will ask countries where the ship might make port calls to refuse it entry.

"We are going to request a port closure against it," Foreign Ministry official Chiharu Tsuruoka said. "They have obstructed our activities in the past, and their action is extremely dangerous. They are like pirates."