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 International Whaling Commission (IWC) is the global intergovernmental body charged with the conservation of whales and the management of whaling. It is set up under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling signed in 1946. The Commission has a current membership of 89 Governments from countries around the World.