Japan, US set to agree on $100 million joint project in shipbuilding

Japan and the United States are expected to agree on a $100 million joint project in shipbuilding, a sector both countries are keen on enhancing amid dominance by Chinese makers, a government source said Tuesday. 

In the agreement expected to be finalized when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meets U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday in Washington, the two countries are set to cooperate in utilizing artificial intelligence and robotics technologies as well as worker training, the Japanese source said.They could cooperate on research and development in technology where AI-powered robots autonomously weld steel plates to make ships, the source said. China accounts for over half of the world's shipyard output, thanks to cheap labor costs and automation

Recognizing the importance of ship security for marine transportation, Japan and the United States agreed last year to cooperate in expanding shipyard output, Japanese investments in the United States, and the joint development of related AI and robotics technologies.

Although Trump has promised to revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding industry, it is also one of the strategic sectors on which Takaichi's government is focusing as it seeks to strengthen economic security and reduce reliance on foreign shipyards.The Japanese government has pledged to promote public-private investment totaling 1 trillion yen ($6.3 billion) to stimulate growth in the shipbuilding industry. The government has set a goal of doubling the annual production volume to around 18 million tons by 2035.

Source : Mainichi Japan