Japanese whaling towns welcomed Wednesday the government's decision to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission, but some local residents voiced concern that it could lead to an escalation in protests."It is a major decision that will protect domestic fishermen who live on whaling," Kazutaka Sangen, mayor of Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, said about the decision. "We greatly appreciate it."The small town in western Japan has frequently faced demonstrations by anti-whaling groups after gaining international attention in the Oscar-winning 2009 U.S. conservationist documentary film "The…READ FULL ARTICLE
