2. MATERIALS
The present study examined common minke whales obtained from the coastal
regions of Japan. The specimens were acquired from seven animals (Table
1). 16NPCK-M009 and 16NPCK-M012 were procured in 2016 during the second
phase of the Japanese Whale Research Program under the special permit in
the Western North Pacific (JARPNII). 18NPCK-M001, 18NPCK-M006 and
18NPCK-M008 were obtained in 2018 during the New Scientific Whale
Research Program in the western North Pacific (NEWREP-NP). 19SK214 and
19SK215 were acquired in 2019 during Japanese commercial whaling
operations. The research programs adhered to the regulations outlined in
Article VIII of the International Convention for the Regulation of
Whaling (ICRW). All samples were collected in accordance with legal
procedures.
Table 1 List of specimens.