The number of technical and engineering staff employed at Japanese shipyards has fallen to fewer than 10,000 for the first time since records began in 1979.
Their number dropped by nearly 4.6% over the past 12 months, from 10,030 to 9,570, according to the Shipbuilders’ Association of Japan (SAJ).
That represents a decline of 38% in the past decade.
In 2010 — just as the most recent shipbuilding boom came to an end — 15,451 technical staff were employed at the yards.
