The main Japanese shipbuilder, the Imabari Shipbuilding Co., acquired control of the compatriot Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU) raising from 30% to 60% its share in the share capital of the navalmeccanica company. The shares of the other two Japanese shareholders of JMU, the JFE Holdings which is mainly active in the steel industry and held 35% of the capital and the industrial and engineering group IHI Corporation also holding 35% of JMU, both fell to 20%. The Nihon Shipyard Co., the joint venture participated by JMU and Imabari Shipbuilding, remains unchanged.(of 7 January 2021).

Announcing the transaction, which is subject to the approval of the competent authorities in Japan and abroad, JMU shareholders have found that currently the volume of constructions and orders of the Japanese navalmeccanica industry has recorded a considerable decline, resulting in a reduction of the world market share, because of the rise of shipyards of China and South Korea that are recovering ground regarding Japan in terms of technological capacity, which represent one of the strengths of Japanese shipbuilding. Imabari Shipbuilding. JFE and IHI have explained that the operation will allow not only to Imabari Shipbuilding and JMU to exploit their respective strengths to compete with the Chinese and Korean shipyards, but also to work to the development of the Japanese shipbuilding industry taking more rapid and global decisions in terms of management.