Japan remains a country of contradictions. Home to several of the world’s largest and most rigorously managed shipowners and operators, its shipping sector underperforms against its nimbler and arguably more ruthless international rivals.
Meanwhile, its shipyards remain widely credited with building the world’s best ships but struggle to secure a viable and sustainable commercial position against fierce regional competition.
Such contradictions have been a source of soul-searching with Japan’s maritime cluster for a decade or more as it has sought to rediscover a secure position amid a constantly shifting world.
