Japan’s Imabari Shipbuilding, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Namura Shipbuilding are aiming to restart domestic construction of LNG carriers around 2035, in a move that would rebuild a strategic segment of the country’s shipbuilding industry, Nikkei reported.
The three Japanese shipbuilders plan to establish a production framework capable of building three to five LNG carriers a year, according to the report. The project would mark a return to a technically demanding vessel type that has become central to energy security but is now dominated by yards outside Japan.
The companies are also expected to seek cooperation from South Korean companies to bring in technology no longer available domestically, Nikkei reported.
The Japanese government is considering support measures, including subsidies for shipowners, and plans to include the restart of domestic LNG carrier construction in a public-private investment roadmap to be drawn up by Japan’s Growth Strategy Council.
The report comes as Japan is trying to rebuild its shipbuilding capacity under an official national strategy. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Cabinet Office have set a target of lifting annual shipbuilding output to 18m gross tons by 2035, from about 9m gross tons currently, citing the importance of shipbuilding to economic security and maritime transport.
Imabari Shipbuilding is one of Japan’s largest private shipbuilding groups, with major yards in Ehime, Kagawa and Hiroshima and a track record that includes LNG carriers, container ships, bulkers and car carriers.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries is a listed Japanese industrial group with marine, aerospace, rail, energy and machinery operations; it reported revenue of ¥2.13 trillion for the year ended March 31, 2025.
Namura Shipbuilding is a listed Osaka-based shipbuilder whose operations include tankers, bulk carriers, container ships, car carriers, ship repair and steel structures; it reported consolidated sales of ¥159.2bn for the year ended March 2025.