Officials were also studying whether to stop foreign vessels who sell export seafood to Japan from fishing in US waters. Mineta formally certified that Japan's actions were undermining international whaling protections. He said the certification would trigger a 60-day process to consider trade sanctions against Japan. The president was also directing several cabinet secretaries to consider additional actions the United States could take. Podesta and Mineta, briefing reporters at the White House, would not elaborate on what Japanese exports could be considered for sanctions, but other officials said they would include seafood.
Japan insists it is taking the whales for scientific purposes.
James Baker, head of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, offered US help for Japan to develop a safe and humane scientific research programme for whales. Podesta denied that presidential politics were involved. Japanese critics have suggested Clinton was taking the steps in order to bolster Vice President Al Gore's environmental credentials going into the November 7 election against Republican George W Bush. A recommendation of sanctions would be the third of its kind regarding Japanese whaling. Two previous recommendations, in 1987 and 1995, were dismissed by the president.