II-(II) MARINE LABOR
CHAPTER 1. PRESENT STATE OF MARINE LABOR POWER
As shown in Table II-(I)-1, the
number of mariners as of October, 1972 present is about 279,000 persons (Oceangoing
mariners 46, 000 persons, coastal mariners 85, 000 persons, fishermen 129,000
persons and others 19,000 persons) and although fishermen have slightly increased
over the preceding year, both ocean going and coastal mariners in the shipping
industry have decreased.
The decreaseinthenumberor oceangoing mariners seems to be caused by the facts
that the number of vessels has been decreasing, as a result of adoption of rationalization
measures of jumboising and modernizing vessels or overseas selling of uneconomical
vessels, etc., since the oceangoing shipping industry of Japan had declined in
its international competitive force due to rising of various costs, etc., and
that the number of crew per vessel had declined due to automation of vessels,
etc.
Moreover, in the coastal shipping, it can be considered that the number of
mariners decreased due decrease of number of vessels and decrease of number of
crew per vessel through the modernization of vessels from old and small type wooden
ships into automated economical vessels.
The increase of crew members for fishing vessels is due to the application
expansion of the Mariners Law and the restoration of Okinawa to Japan proper,
however, in observing this for the past several years, we find that it is in a
decreasing trend.
The organization condition of seaman's labor unions as of June, 1973 present
is 44 unions and the number of union members is about 190,000 persons and the
rate of union formation is 68.0%.
