THE slaughter of hundreds of eastern grey kangaroos in Canberra is being used by Japan to undermine Australia's anti-whaling crusade.

Japanese TV and radio yesterday covered a small protest over the culling of up to 500 kangaroos at Belconnen in the north of the nation's capital.

Tokyo Broadcasting System Australian TV reporter Hiroki Iijima said Japanese people view the kangaroo cull as hypocritical.

"It's a sad thing. Kangaroos are the national icon for Australia and 400 kangaroos are going to be killed by the government," he said.

The cull has been approved to protect native grassland in the ACT. However, there are also opponents in Canberra who insist the cull is really about making the land available for a luxury development.

Wildlife Protection Association of Australia president Pat O'Brien backed Japan. "Nobody would seriously think that Australia has any right to criticise Japan for its whaling while we are killing three and a half million kangaroos every year for dog food," he said.

"The kangaroo cull will destroy any chance we have of going to court over whaling," he said.

"There were two Japanese crews, they wanted to know if we thought Australia should be criticising Japan when we are killing kangaroos."

About 70 protesters gathered at the former naval site in Belconnen.

The cull of the national emblem was also criticised by animal activists including British group Viva which has the support of celebrity rock stars Sir Paul McCartney and Chrissie Hynde.

"Paul McCartney made a comment about the kangaroo culling and it's an international story now," Mr Iijima said.

"Some Japanese viewers would think it's hypocritical. The story will air on the main television and national radio networks."

Wildlife protection groups argue the kangaroos should be relocated rather than slaughtered, but the ACT government has refused an export permit, claiming relocating kangaroos is inhumane.

Former Neighbours actress, Fiona Corke, who travelled from Melbourne to join the protest, said Mr Garrett was also hypocritical in his commitment to protecting whales but not kangaroos.

"Kangaroos are a protected species under the 1975 wildlife act," she said.

"It is hypocritical Peter Garrett is running an anti-whaling campaign and yet is allowing hundreds of kangaroos to be killed to make room for a housing development.

"It's an embarrassment to the Australian Government."

Environment Minister Peter Garrett said humanely and properly administered culling programs were sometimes necessary.

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