The Japanese government on Tuesday described as "regrettable" Australia's decision to file charges against Tokyo before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding its whaling practices.

Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hidenobu Sobashima said Tokyo is currently renegotiating the terms of its whaling activities with the International Whaling Commission (IWC). The IWC is scheduled to hold its annual meeting in June to evaluate existing whaling rules.

Last week, Australia asked the ICT to formally begin formal trial against Japan over its whaling activities. The ICJ, based in The Hague, Netherlands are being asked by Australia to take the necessary step to stop Japan from whaling "under the guise of scientific experiment."

Currently, the international community bans all forms of whaling except for scientific purposes.

Australia's environmental protection minister Peter Garret told reporters last week: "We want to see an end to whales being killed in the name of science in the Southern Ocean."

Critics accuse Japan of exploiting the scientific research loophole in the moratorium but is actually harvesting whale for meat that is eventually sold in markets and restaurants.

Sobashima insisted that Japan's whale hunting is within laws.

"Japan's research whaling is a legal activity," Sobashima said, noting that the country would continue to explain its perspective in international court.

Japan has hunted up to 1,000 whales in the Antarctic annually, according to the IWC.