An international court has determined that Japan's whaling practice is not for scientific purposes and therefore should be banned.

According to BBC News, the United Nations (UN) International Court of Justice (IJC) ruled Monday that Japan must immediately stop its current whaling practice. Japan begrudgingly accepted the ban, but the nation said it "regrets and is deeply disappointed by the decision."

Australia initially filed a lawsuit in May, 2010 accusing Japan of hiding its commercial whaling under a false pretense of scientific research. Japan was defensive and argued Australia was simply trying to force social norms upon them.

Presiding Judge Peter Tomka's ruling said the court ruled 12 against four for Japan surrendering all existing whaling permits in Antarctic waters and from issuing new ones. Australia has not been alone in calling into question Japan's whaling practices in areas meant to be reservations.

Tomka's ruling can be found in full HERE.

"In light of the fact the [research program] has been going on since 2005, and has involved the killing of about 3,600 minke whales, the scientific output to date appears limited," said Tomka.

"The court concludes that the special permits granted by Japan for the killing, taking, and treating of whales... are not 'for purposes of scientific research,'" the judge's ruling read, according to the Associated Press.

Peter Garrett, the former Australian environment minister, oversaw the lawsuit since its filing nearly four years ago. He told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio he is ecstatic for the ban.

"I'm absolutely over the moon, for all those people who wanted to see the charade of scientific whaling cease once and for all," said Garrett. "I think (this) means without any shadow of a doubt that we won't see the taking of whales in the Southern Ocean in the name of science."

The IJC's rulings are not subject to appeals and are legally binding. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told the AP the country will continue to abide by the International Whaling Commission despite their disagreements. Japan argued they were studying the possible sustainability of commercial whaling.