In 1988 Japan dropped its objection to the moratorium, but continued to whale using the special permit option. At the same time, Norway temporarily switched from whaling under objection to special permit whaling, and continued special permit whaling until 1992, when they again went back to whaling under an objection to the moratorium. Japan has continued to grant itself special scientific permits through to the present day, killing the majority of these whales in the IWC Southern Ocean Sanctuary.