Crew of a whaling ship check a whaling gun or harpoon before departure at Ayukawa port in Ishinomaki City on April 26, 2014
© Getty ImagesCrew of a whaling ship check a whaling gun or harpoon before departure at Ayukawa port in Ishinomaki City on April 26, 2014
Japan's latest 'scientific' whaling expedition has ended with more than 300 animals slaughtered.

In total, 333 minke whales - including 200 pregnant females - were killed, Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research confirmed.

Despite international criticism of the country's whaling activities, Japan sent four ships to the Antarctic region for 115 days on December 1.

In 2014, the UN ruled that the activity in the Southern Ocean, south east of Australia and New Zealand, was a front for commercial hunts.

But the practice has resumed, with Mr Kindleysides urging the Australian government to take action.

Darren Kindleysides, director of the Australian Marine Conservation Society, said the 2014/15 summer was the first time in 70 years Japan stopped its whaling activities.

He said: 'That puts the onus on the Australian government to make sure this is the first and the last season of Japan's new so-called scientific program.'

In December, the Australian government said Japan's decision to continue whaling was 'deeply disappointing'.

But conservation group Sea Shepherd said the Japanese fleet had faced little or no scrutiny over the summer and Australia and New Zealand seemed unwilling to send a ship to intercept them.

Sea Shepherd Australia's managing director Jeff Hansen said: 'Once again false promises from the Australian and New Zealand governments have resulted in whales being killed illegally in the Australian Whale Sanctuary.

'The majority of Australians wanted the Australian government to send a vessel to oppose the slaughter. They did not.'

Australian Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson accused the government of doing little to prevent the 'sickening' illegal activity.

'Not in 40 years has an Australian government done so little to prevent whaling on our watch and in our waters,' he said.

Japan claims it is trying to prove the whale population is large enough to sustain a return to commercial hunting.