ABSTRACT
Japan's shipbuilding industry started early in the 1950s to again build vessels for the armed forces. In 1953, one year after Japan regained independence, Japanese shipyards built five vessels for the National Police Reserve and two vessels for the minesweeping force. When the shipbuilding industry was booming before the first oil crisis, navy vessel construction was seldom popular with Japan's shipyards. The number of employees in the shipbuilding industry decreased from 256,271 in 1975 to 148,333 at the end of November 1984. Although the Government has been generous with financial support and allowed the formation of recession cartels, the decline of the industry is continuing. Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries, Japan's second largest shipbuilding company, provides a representative example of the diversification process of these major companies. Submarine specifications are shrouded in the greatest secrecy compared to other weapon systems. Submarine construction and repair work permit these companies to carry on research on such steel, for both military and civilian purposes.
