 |
 |
 |
The Japanese mercantile fleet consisting mainly of ships built in line
with the Government-subsidized shipbuilding program plays a significant' role
in the Japanese economy. It ensures stable transport of commodities in response
to the need of national economy, inhibits violent fluctuations of fare standards
in international trade and contributes to economy of foreign Currencies.
Recently, the employment of chartered foreign ships has increased as the
international competitive ability of Japanese flag ships was lowered by swelling
seamen expenses and as the shipping enterprises fell into poor management conditions.
As a result, chartered foreign ships accounted for 44% of the Japanese mercantile
fleet (Fig. 2-1-2).
Specifically, there are an increasing number of Japanese flag ships having
foreign seamen on board as well as tie-in and chartered-back ships.
Such a trend seem unavoidable to some extent as long as shipping enterprises
seek economic rationality. Even in Such a case, it is desirable to use tie-in
ships etc. which allow stable Japanese control.
The Japanese shipping must develop under international competitions, while
securing a fixed amount of Japanese flag ships. For this purpose, the quality
of the Japanese shipping enterprises must be strengthened by increasing container
ships and introducing super automatic ships, for example. In addition the seaman
assignment and reserve systems will have to be Studied again.
The ratio of effective job offers to effective job applicants of merchant
seamen sharply dropped to 0.27 in August 1976, partly because shipping enterprises
promoted operational rationalization. The reserve rate of ocean liner seamen
reached 64.8% in the fall of 1975.
As a result, worries over employment have increased among seamen. As immediate
measures, the living of unemployed seamen has been guaranteed and their re-employment
has been promoted by the use of an unemployment insurance system etc. In addition,
seamen employment stabilization measures are to be prepared from a long-term
perspective.
The current seamen system etc. will be restudied in the future, including
the question of boarding Japanese seamen with seamen of developing countries.
It is essential to find solutions through thorough talks between labor and capital
upon mutual trust, always considering the stable employment of seamen.
New orders of shipbuilding in the world decreased sharply because of the
recent depression. Many new shipbuilding contracts have been cancelled.
Consequently, total order book in the world fell below the 1970 level in
the middle of 1976. The Japanese shipbuilding industry was faced with the same
difficulty. The total order book of the thirty-five major shipyards fell to
17.6 million gross tons as of September 30, 1976. (Fig.
2-1-3).
Tanker depression seriously affected Japan because super large tankers occupy
a large portion. The conditions in Japan are more severe than the AWES countries.
As for the management of the major ten ship builders, the sales in fiscal
1975 exceeded but slightly the fiscal 1974 level owing to the increase in sales
in the other fields, such as ground plants, but their current profits fen sharply,
thus the management of the shipbuilding industry beginning to worsen to cause
serious employment and other problems in the regional society.
The operating rate of the Japanese Shipbuilding industry in 1980 is estimated
to be about 65% of the 1974 level. Thus, for the Japanese shipbuilding industry
to cope with the worsening depression, it will have to take various measures
including adjustment of the operation rate with due consideration given to the
avoidance of international frictions connected with tendering for export ships
and at the same time the effects on employment and regional society etc. It
should also advance to more technologically concentrated shipbuilding industry
by improving ship performances and technology of construction.
|
|
|