THE RUDD Government's new special envoy on whaling, the former Sydney Olympics chief Sandy Hollway, will try to persuade Japan to curtail its Antarctic whaling this summer.

Mr Hollway has opened a confidential new diplomatic dialogue, and the summer's whaling is high on his agenda.

The fleet is due to leave Japan next month for waters south-east of Australia, and into Antarctica's Ross Sea. It plans to kill up to 985 whales. The fleet also faces direct action from Sea Shepherd, and possibly Greenpeace.

Mr Hollway told the Herald last night that Australia should keep working for a whaling suspension, and he would visit Tokyo again before the fleet was due to leave. "It would be statesman-like of Japan if they will. But I wouldn't want to hold out false hope for a cessation. I think we might be past the point where the definition of success is a complete halt."