January 4, 2011<\/cite><\/p>\n AUSTRALIA was secretly prepared to cut a deal with Japan to accept a continued whale hunt even though it publicly moved to haul Tokyo before an international court over its ”scientific” whaling program.<\/p>\n US diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks reveal that Australia was willing to compromise with Japan as late as last February but that any deal must result in a much lower level of whaling and exclude the hunt from waters near Antarctica.<\/p>\n A compromise under which Japan would kill 5000 fewer whales over 10 years – provided larger varieties such as humpback and fin whales were not taken and loopholes to allow so-called scientific whaling were closed – was discussed.<\/p>\n