Australia has expressed its “extreme” disappointment with the Japanese government’s decision to resume commercial whaling in July.

Simultaneously announcing it would leave the International Whaling Commission (IWC), Japan will stop its so-called scientific whaling in the Antarctic Ocean, and only fish in seas near Japan and the country’s exclusive economic zone.

Under pressure from its fishing industry, Japan decided it could not restart commercial whaling while being a member of the international body responsible for the conservation of whales.

This comes after years of being accused of conducting commercial whaling under the guise of scientific research, during which it has been estimated to kill 450 whales annually.

Japan’s fisheries minister Takamori Yoshikawa in Tokyo on Wednesday after the country announced its decision to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission in 2019. Photo: AP

Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Environment Minister Melissa Price said in a joint statement on Wednesday that Japan’s stance was “regrettable”.

“Their decision to withdraw is regrettable and Australia urges Japan to return to the commission as a matter of priority,” the statement said.

“Australia remains resolutely opposed to all forms of commercial and so-called ‘scientific’ whaling.

“We will continue to work within the commission to uphold the global moratorium on commercial whaling.”

The government said the decision not to hunt in the Southern Ocean, where Australia provides protection, would ensure the Antarctic “will finally be true sanctuaries for all whales”.

The IWC, which imposed a commercial moratorium in the 1980s due to a dwindling whale population, rejected Tokyo’s request to resume commercial whaling in September.

Japan has claimed stocks have recovered enough to resume commercial hunting.

Japan has long been fed up with the deadlock at the IWC, with pro- and anti-whaling nations unable to agree on a way forward for the organisation.

“From July 2019, after the withdrawal comes into effect on June 30, Japan will conduct commercial whaling within Japan’s territorial sea and its exclusive economic zone, and will cease the take of whales in the Antarctic Ocean/the Southern Hemisphere,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said.

“Although scientific evidence has confirmed that certain whale species/stocks of whales are abundant, those member states that focus exclusively on the protection of whales – while ignoring the other stated objective of the ICRW – refused to agree to take any tangible steps towards reaching a common position that would ensure the sustainable management of whale resources.”

Mr Suga said that the ICRW, which details the orderly development of the whaling industry, was not taken into account at the IWC’s most recent meeting.

“Quite regrettably, it unveiled the fact that it is not possible in the IWC even to seek the co-existence of states with different views,” he said.

“Consequently, Japan has been led to make its decision.”

Japan says it will participate in IWC talks as an observer.

-with ABC, AAP