It is an international body set up under International Convention for Regulation of Whaling (ICRW), which was signed in 1946 in Washington, D.C., United States (US).

• ICRW governs scientific, commercial, and aboriginal subsistence whaling practices of 59 member nations.
• IWC Headquarters: Impington, England.
• It provides for proper conservation of whale stocks and makes possible orderly development of whaling industry.

Japan has resumed commercial whaling after a period of 31 years, but will stay within country’s exclusive economic waters. This comes after Japan’s 6 month notice to withdraw from International Whaling Commission (IWC) took effect on 30 June 2019.