日本海事新聞ニュース Japan Maritime Daily Oct 02, 2025 (Thu)

NYK Marks 140th Anniversary (Part2): President Soga Assesses of Japanese Maritime Cluster

Takaya Soga, President of NYK

　■High transparency 　--The environment surrounding listed companies is changing dramatically, with m ・・・ 続きはログインして下さいnext %E3%80%80%E2%96%A0High+transparency+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--The+environment+surrounding+listed+companies+is+changing+dramatically%2C+with+management+now+required+to+take+capital+costs+and+stock+prices+into+consideration.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CI+don%E2%80%99t+think+there+has+ever+been+a+president+of+our+company+who+has+been+so+conscious+of+stock+prices+when+it+comes+to+running+the+company.+While+raising+the+stock+price+is+of+course+important%2C+we+are+also+focusing+on+providing+a+high+level+of+transparency+to+the+market+regarding+our+efforts+to+ensure+the+soundness+and+optimization+of+our+financial+position.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CAfter+the+coronavirus+pandemic%2C+we+faced+the+challenge+of+dealing+with+the+rapid+increase+in+equity+capital+due+to+better-than-expected+business+performance.+Excessive+equity+capital+leads+to+higher+capital+costs+and+is+considered+capital+inefficient.+To+improve+capital+efficiency%2C+we+need+to+lower+our+cost+of+capital%2C+which+cannot+be+achieved+if+we+have+an+abnormally+high+level+of+equity+capital.%E2%80%9D+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CMethods+for+reducing+equity+capital+to+an+appropriate+level+include+investing+in+growth%2C+paying+dividends+to+shareholders%2C+and+repurchasing+treasury+stock.+We+allocate+funds+in+a+balanced+manner+to+investments%2C+dividends%2C+etc.+Carefully+explaining+these+efforts+will+help+us+gain+trust+from+the+market.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+aim+for+the+stock+price+to+rise+naturally.+By+improving+and+optimizing+the+balance+sheet%2C+the+PBR+%28price-to-book+ratio%29+should+approach+1.+Shipping+companies+are+known+for+their+high+volatility+in+business+performance%2C+but+in+addition+to+quantitative+aspects+such+as+financial+performance%2C+we+will+also+focus+on+qualitative+efforts+to+increase+our+fan+base+and+gain+the+trust+of+the+market.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+Co-creation%2C+challenge+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--As+a+leader+in+the+Japanese+shipping+industry%2C+you+are+also+working+to+strengthen+the+maritime+cluster.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CThe+maritime+cluster%2C+which+is+one+of+the+strengths+of+Japanese+shipping%2C+is+facing+a+major+challenge%3A+a+lack+of+talent.+We+also+feel+a+sense+of+crisis+about+the+shipbuilding+industry%2C+especially+the+decline+in+design+engineers.+Shipyards+are+now+able+to+allocate+fewer+resources+to+growth+initiatives+such+as+new+developments%2C+which+is+having+a+negative+impact+on+surrounding+industries+such+as+marine+equipment+manufacturers.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CSince+his+time+as+president%2C+Chairman+Nagasawa+%28Hitoshi%29+has+been+stressing+the+importance+of+strengthening+the+maritime+cluster+from+the+perspective+of+economic+security.+In+order+to+maintain+the+advantage+of+the+maritime+cluster%2C+how+can+we+attract+talented+people+to+the+shipbuilding+industry%2C+the+cluster%E2%80%99s+strength%2C+and+how+can+we+work+on+development+efficiently+with+a+small+number+of+people%3F+We+need+to+show+that+shipbuilding+is+an+attractive+industry.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CAs+the+%3Cb%3ENYK%3C%2Fb%3E+Group%2C+we+have+been+promoting+industry-academia+collaboration+to+help+solve+issues+such+as+acquiring+talented+personnel+in+the+shipbuilding+industry+and+improving+the+efficiency+of+research+and+development.+Starting+in+2022%2C+we+established+the+MODE+%28Maritime+%26+Ocean+Digital+Engineering%29+at+the+University+of+Tokyo+in+collaboration+with+shipyards+and+marine+equipment+manufacturers.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CFurthermore%2C+this+year+we+launched+the+Open+Collaboration+Laboratory+for+Enabling+Advanced+Marine+Systems+%28Osaka+University+OCEANS%29+at+the+Graduate+School+of+Engineering%2C+The+University+of+Osaka%2C+in+collaboration+with+shipbuilding+companies+and+others.+In+addition%2C+the+development+of+an+integrated+simulation+platform+%28PF%29+that+MTI+is+working+on+in+collaboration+with+shipyards%2C+universities%2C+and+the+National+Maritime+Research+Institute+has+been+selected+for+the+Economic+Security+Key+Technology+Development+Program+%28K+Program%29.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CThe+University+of+Tokyo+MODE+and+K+Program+projects+are+closely+related.+At+the+MODE%2C+we+use+MBSE+%28Model-Based+Systems+Engineering%29+and+MBD+%28Model-Based+Development%29+to+digitally+simulate+actual+operations+and+achieve+optimal+and+efficient+design+and+development.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CThe+project+selected+under+the+K+Program+aims+to+develop+an+integrated+simulation+platform+that+will+optimize+the+use+of+ships+throughout+their+lifecycle%2C+from+the+early+development+and+design+stages+to+operation.+Both+of+these+projects+utilize+advanced+simulations%2C+and+Osaka+University+OCEANS+is+also+utilizing+the+latest+technologies+such+as+AI+%28artificial+intelligence%29+and+robots%2C+aiming+to+further+reduce+manpower+and+improve+efficiency.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWith+these+three+projects%2C+the+%3Cb%3ENYK%3C%2Fb%3E+Group%2C+led+by+MTI%2C+is+taking+the+lead+in+solving+the+industry%E2%80%99s+challenges.+This+is+a+scheme+to+increase+the+number+of+students+who+are+attracted+to+cutting-edge+simulation+technology+and+to+increase+the+number+of+talented+people+entering+the+maritime+industry.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CIn+terms+of+design+standardization%2C+progress+is+being+made+on+a+project+to+standardize+liquefied+CO2+%28carbon+dioxide%29+transport+ships%2C+which+was+launched+by+Japanese+3+big+carriers+and+four+shipbuilding+companies.+Rather+than+each+shipping+company+imposing+its+own+specifications+on+shipyards%2C+we+want+to+see+cooperation+between+shipping+companies+and+shipyards+as+a+solution+to+the+lack+of+shipyard+capacity.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CIn+terms+of+labor+shortages%2C+the+shipping+side+is+also+facing+a+serious+shortage+of+seafarers%2C+especially+in+domestic+shipping.+To+address+this+issue%2C+the+unmanned+ship+project+%E2%80%98MEGURI2040%E2%80%99+has+entered+phase+2%2C+and+is+conducting+demonstration+experiments+within+the+framework+of+DFFAS+.+Here+too%2C+%3Cb%3ENYK%3C%2Fb%3E%2C+Japan+Marine+Science+Inc.+and+MTI+are+contributing+to+the+advancement+of+the+project+by+taking+initiatives.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWhen+we+look+back+at+our+140-year+history%2C+we+see+that+although+we+have+never+used+the+word+%E2%80%99co-creation%2C%E2%80%99+we+have+always+made+partners+and+taken+on+new+challenges%2C+and+this+may+be+the+very+DNA+of+%3Cb%3ENYK%3C%2Fb%3E.+We+would+like+to+continue+deepening+cooperation+with+various+stakeholders+to+restore+and+strengthen+Japan%E2%80%99s+maritime+cluster.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EDisclaimer%3A+The+English+translations+provided+through+this+service+are+the+result+of+translations+made+by+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+or+automatically+and+mechanically+translated+by+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+using+an+automated+translation+system+provided+by+a+third+party+after+certain+processing+of+the+Japanese+content+licensed+by+the+third+party.+In+terms+of+the+English+translation%2C+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+and+MarineNet+Co.%2C+Ltd.+make+no+warranty+or+burden+of+any+kind%2C+express+or+implied%2C+including+its+accuracy%2C+reliability%2C+validity+or+fitness+for+a+particular+purpose.+MarineNet+Users+should+fully+understand+that+this+service+uses+an+automated+translation+system+that+automatically+and+mechanically+recognizes+and+analyzes+information+and+produces+results.+The+users+should+understand+the+above+conditions+before+using+this+service.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E5%85%8D%E8%B2%AC%E4%BA%8B%E9%A0%85%EF%BC%9A%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%82%92%E4%BB%8B%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E6%8F%90%E4%BE%9B%E3%81%95%E3%82%8C%E3%82%8B%E8%8B%B1%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%81%8C%E4%BD%9C%E6%88%90%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E3%81%8B%E3%80%81%E5%8F%88%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%89%E8%80%85%E3%81%8B%E3%82%89%E4%BD%BF%E7%94%A8%E8%A8%B1%E8%AB%BE%E3%82%92%E5%8F%97%E3%81%91%E3%81%9F%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%86%E3%83%B3%E3%83%84%E3%82%92%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%81%8C%E4%B8%80%E5%AE%9A%E3%81%AE%E5%87%A6%E7%90%86%E3%82%92%E8%A1%8C%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F%E4%B8%8A%E3%81%A7%E3%80%81%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%89%E8%80%85%E3%81%8C%E6%8F%90%E4%BE%9B%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%BF%BB%E8%A8%B3%E3%82%B7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%A0%E3%82%92%E5%88%A9%E7%94%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%9A%84%E3%83%BB%E6%A9%9F%E6%A2%B0%E7%9A%84%E3%81%AB%E7%BF%BB%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E7%B5%90%E6%9E%9C%E3%81%A7%E3%81%82%E3%82%8A%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%80%81%E3%83%9E%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E5%BD%93%E8%A9%B2%E8%8B%B1%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%AB%E9%96%A2%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E3%80%81%E3%81%9D%E3%81%AE%E6%AD%A3%E7%A2%BA%E6%80%A7%E3%80%81%E4%BF%A1%E9%A0%BC%E6%80%A7%E3%80%81%E5%A6%A5%E5%BD%93%E6%80%A7%E5%8F%8A%E3%81%B3%E7%89%B9%E5%AE%9A%E7%9B%AE%E7%9A%84%E3%81%B8%E3%81%AE%E9%81%A9%E5%90%88%E6%80%A7%E3%82%92%E5%90%AB%E3%82%81%E3%80%81%E6%98%8E%E7%A4%BA%E5%8F%88%E3%81%AF%E9%BB%99%E7%A4%BA%E3%81%AB%E3%82%82%E3%80%81%E3%81%84%E3%81%8B%E3%81%AA%E3%82%8B%E4%BF%9D%E8%A8%BC%E3%82%82%E3%81%97%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B%E3%82%93%E3%80%82%E3%83%9E%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%83%A6%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B6%E3%83%BC%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%81%8C%E3%80%81%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%9A%84%E3%81%8B%E3%81%A4%E6%A9%9F%E6%A2%B0%E7%9A%84%E3%81%AB%E6%83%85%E5%A0%B1%E3%82%92%E8%AA%8D%E8%AD%98%E3%83%BB%E5%88%86%E6%9E%90%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E7%B5%90%E6%9E%9C%E3%82%92%E5%87%BA%E5%8A%9B%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%BF%BB%E8%A8%B3%E3%82%B7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%A0%E3%82%92%E4%BD%BF%E7%94%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%81%A7%E3%81%82%E3%82%8B%E3%81%93%E3%81%A8%E3%82%92%E5%8D%81%E5%88%86%E3%81%AB%E7%90%86%E8%A7%A3%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E4%B8%8A%E3%81%A7%E3%80%81%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9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【インタビュー　創業140周年】(下)日本郵船社長・曽我貴也氏、海事クラスター復権へ

2025/10/02(木)

日本海事新聞 JMD

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