The four major islands of Japan are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyusha, and Shikoku. The island of Honshu is referred to as the mainland because it is the largest. Edit
When and why was the IWC formed? The IWC, which stands for the International Whaling Commission, was formed on December 2nd, 1946 in order to âprovide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industryâ (http://iwc.int/history-and-purpose)
The commissionâs American section (USIBWC) is overseen by the State Department, and its origin dates back to the 19th century. The USIBWCâs structure and many functions are defined by treaties signed during the first half of the 20th century.