New Zealand will lead the biggest protest yet against Japan's whaling.

Representatives from 27 countries approached the Japanese Foreign Ministry in Tokyo on Friday to express disgust about the slaughtering of whales which Japan claims is for scientific research. Japan intends to kill up to 935 Antarctic minke whales and 10 fin whales this summer.

Conservation Minister Chris Carter says whales are already facing huge challenges to their survival from an environment that is changing around them and a protest group will be approaching the fishing ministry today. He believes the Japanese will eventually get the message that the rest of the world wants to conserve whales.

Mr Carter hopes the Japanese reconsider their position before their whaling fleet arrives in the Southern Ocean within the next week. He says what they are doing is callous.