After lagging behind Korea and China, being the third place in global newbuilding, Japan is expected to counterattack for new orders and bring a positive influence on its performance triggering an increase in ship price, boosting Japanese builders’ competitiveness in price, backed by continuously weak yen.  
Japan has had a high competitiveness in new orders especially in LNG carrier and bulker segments and is anticipated to eat into shares owned by Korea and China.
Actually, Japanese shipbuilders have recently accelerated in winning orders for bulker with technical skills of building eco-friendly vessels. Japan Marine United is said to have been placed large orders for bulkers, such as five Kamsarmax bulkers and six capesize bulkers year-to-date.
Moreover, Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding won one Handymax bulker while Oshima Shipbuilding was placed orders for two Panamax bulkers and Sasebo Heavy Industries, one Panamax with two Kamsarmax bulkers. Also, Sanoyas shipbuilding inked an order for one Kamsarmax bulker that Japanese builders are showing a notable competitiveness in bulker segment.
Furthermore, amid Japan’s increasing LNG imports, they are almost ensured to ink contracts for LNG carriers from domestic shipowners and intensifying their efforts in winning orders for LNG carriers from foreign shipowners as well.
Analyst Kim Kang-Oh at Hanwha Investment & Securities of Korea has warned, “If a weak yen is extended, domestic industries which are competing fiercely with Japanese might experience not only sentiment but practical fundamental deterioration.”