After decades of research, Japanese scientists are no closer to discovering why whales suddenly die when tracked down, surrounded and then shot with an explosive-tipped harpoon.

“It’s a phenomenon that’s baffled us to date,” said Hayato Takahashi, one of Japan’s chief whale scientists. “Every time we shoot a whale with a harpoon, it dies. That’s why our ongoing scientific research program is so important – to crack this mystery once and for all”.

Mr Takahashi said that while progress was being made, realistically it would be a long time before the phenomenon was truly understood.

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