TOKYO – Japan and the United States will sign memorandums on cooperation in shipbuilding, artificial intelligence and next-generation communication technologies during President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Tokyo next week, sources familiar with the matter said Saturday.
Shipbuilding was among the areas of cooperation included in a massive investment package pledged by Tokyo as part of a trade deal reached between the two countries in July.
The memorandum will cover promoting Japanese investment in the U.S. shipbuilding sector to boost production capacity, introduce advanced ship design methods and establish joint training programs for shipyard workers, according to Japanese and U.S. government sources.
The document to be signed by Japanese transport minister Yasushi Kaneko and U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass will emphasize the need to expand U.S. shipyard capacity to address the imbalance in shipbuilding capabilities among global builders, the sources said, in a move aimed at countering China’s dominance in the industry.
Measures expected under the agreement include Japan’s provision of icebreaker technology, they said.
Trump has pledged a comprehensive approach to revitalize and rebuild domestic maritime industries and their workforce, as the country’s global market share in commercial shipbuilding has fallen below 1 percent while China produces about half of the world’s ships.
The two countries will also sign a separate memorandum on cooperation in technological fields, including the development of new AI, communication, quantum and energy technologies, the sources said.
In July, Tokyo and Washington struck the trade deal following months of tariff negotiations, including Japan’s commitment to invest $550 billion in key U.S. industries.
AloJapan.com