Historical chart showing the number of Orca hunted off the coasts of Hokkaido 1948-1972.A majority o

Historical chart showing the number of Orca hunted off the coasts of Hokkaido 1948-1972.

A majority of the hunt was done by Honshu (mainland Japan) whalers and was done primarily for the purpose of oil. Hunts took place in waters surrounding Hokkaido including the Sea of Okhotsk near the coast of Abashiri and in the Nemuro Straight. 

1964-1967 the hunt numbers spiked, but since have plummeted. 1973 and on, the Orca hunts have been nearly non existent.

(source)