Abe, Turnbull remain crackled over Japan's "scientific whaling"

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met here Friday with visiting Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull to boost bilateral cooperation, but divergence remained between them over Japan's controversial plan to restart its so-called scientific whaling.

Turnbull, who arrived here earlier the day for a one-day visit, expressed disappointment over Japan's scientific whaling at a press conference after the meeting, while Abe asked the Australian side to make efforts to keep environment protectors away from the site of Japan's whaling.

Early this month, a Japanese fleet left the Antarctic for the season's hunt.

The International Court of Justice has ruled Japan's so-called research whaling was unscientific. Australia was the first to bring the case against Japan to the court.

During Friday's meeting, the two leaders also discussed possibility of transferring Japanese submarine technology to Australia and Turnbull said he will make the final decision by the first half of next year.

Defense equipment and related technology transfer is a major pillar under the revised defense policy of the Abe administration.

Japanese civil groups rallied earlier Friday around Abe's official residence protesting against the possible transfer of Japanese submarine technology to Australia.