dbg

日本海事新聞ニュース Japan Maritime Daily Sep 10, 2026 (Thu)

Saito, chair of the OECD Shipbuilding Committee

Hideaki Saito, Chair of the OECD Shipbuilding Committee
　On August 1, Hideaki Saito (Counselor to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Touris ・・・ %E3%80%80On+August+1%2C+Hideaki+Saito+%28Counselor+to+the+Ministry+of+Land%2C+Infrastructure%2C+Transport+and+Tourism+and+Executive+Managing+Director+of+the+Shipbuilders%E2%80%99+Association+of+Japan%29+assumed+the+post+of+chair+of+the+OECD+%28the+Organisation+for+Economic+Co-operation+and+Development%29+Shipbuilding+Committee.+This+is+the+first+time+a+Japanese+person+has+served+as+chair+in+the+committee%E2%80%99s+60-year+history.+As+chair%2C+how+will+he+manage+the+committee+to+foster+a+sound+shipbuilding+market+and+ensure+fair+conditions+of+competition%3F+We+interviewed+Saito.+%3Cbr%3E%28Interviewer%3A+Takafumi+Suzuki%29+%3Cbr%3E+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--What+are+your+aspirations+upon+taking+office%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CLooking+back+on+my+career%2C+I+have+had+a+deep+connection+with+the+committee.+I+was+seconded+to+the+OECD+Secretariat+for+five+years+from+1998%2C+and+that+was+my+first+full-fledged+international+experience.+Although+I+struggled+with+English+at+the+time%2C+I+learned+everything+there%2C+from+drafting+documents+to+conducting+international+meetings.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CFor+meetings+held+once+every+six+months%2C+the+secretariat+effectively+consisted+of+just+two+people%3A+my+supervisor+and+me.+I+prepared+about+300+pages+of+English-written+documents+on+my+own+and+was+kept+busy+with+demand+forecasting+and+research+into+government+subsidies.+Those+five+years+were+the+starting+point+of+my+international+work.+The+organization+helped+me+greatly%2C+and+I+feel+a+strong+attachment+to+it.+My+connection+continued+during+my+secondment+to+the+London+office+of+JETRO+%28Japan+External+Trade+Organization%29+from+2008+to+2011%2C+when+I+served+as+vice+chair+of+the+OECD+Shipbuilding+Working+Party+%28now+the+Shipbuilding+Committee%29.+I+also+intend+to+draw+on+my+experience+as+chair+of+the+MEPC+%28Marine+Environment+Protection+Committee%29+at+the+IMO+%28International+Maritime+Organization%29+from+2018+to+2022%2C+and+I+feel+that+the+time+has+come+to+give+back.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+A+good+opportunity+to+demonstrate+Japan%E2%80%99s+presence+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--How+do+you+view+your+appointment+at+a+time+when+the+shipbuilding+industry+is+drawing+considerable+attention+in+Japan%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CThe+shipbuilding+industry+is+a+single+global+market.+Objectively+speaking%2C+it+can+be+said+that+having+a+chair+from+Japan%E2%80%94one+of+the+countries+that+has+participated+since+the+committee%E2%80%99s+establishment+and+that+is+well+versed+in+the+historical+evolution+of+the+global+shipbuilding+industry%2C+including+both+booms+and+downturns%E2%80%94is+timely+for+the+development+of+the+global+shipbuilding+industry.+As+momentum+builds+in+Japan+for+the+revival+of+the+shipbuilding+industry%2C+I+also+hope+to+make+this+an+opportunity+to+demonstrate+Japan%E2%80%99s+presence.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CHistorically%2C+there+has+been+an+unwritten+rule+that+the+chair+of+the+committee+should+be+chosen+from+a+non-shipbuilding+country+%28a+third+country%29%2C+rather+than+a+major+shipbuilding+country+%28such+as+Japan%2C+South+Korea%2C+or+Europe%29%2C+to+prevent+the+chair+from+reflecting+his+or+her+own+country%E2%80%99s+wishes.+Had+this+been+an+era+of+intense+negotiations+over+shipbuilding+agreements+as+in+the+past%2C+a+Japanese+person+would+not+have+been+selected.+However%2C+influenced+by+the+role+of+the+OECD+itself+as+a+think+tank%E2%80%94researching+and+discussing+policy+issues%E2%80%94the+nature+of+the+committee+may+also+have+gradually+changed.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--What+are+the+challenges+in+%E2%80%9Cpolicy+coordination%2C%E2%80%9C+one+of+the+committee%E2%80%99s+roles%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CCurrently%2C+the+committee+consists+of+15+countries+and+regions%2C+but+China+is+not+a+member.+The+United+States+is+a+member+of+the+OECD+itself%2C+but+it+has+withdrawn+from+the+committee.+India%2C+which+aims+to+expand+its+shipbuilding+capacity%2C+is+also+not+a+member.+There+are+naturally+limits+to+policy+coordination+in+the+absence+of+such+major+powers.+The+challenge+is+how+to+engage+in+dialogue+and+cooperate+with+nonmember+countries.+It+will+likely+have+to+proceed+step+by+step.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--Market+monitoring+is+also+a+key+role.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+will+monitor+ship+prices+and+supply-demand+balances+and+analyze+the+factors+behind+them.+Monitoring+ship+prices+and+forecasting+supply+and+demand+began+around+2000%2C+when+I+built+a+database+at+the+OECD.%E2%80%9D+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWith+regard+to+ship+prices+and+supply-demand+forecasts%2C+developments+in+the+IMO%E2%80%99s+deliberations+on+the+GHG+%28greenhouse+gas%29+measure%2C+the+%E2%80%98Net-Zero+Framework%E2%80%99+%28NZF%29%2C+are+also+an+important+factor.+Against+the+backdrop+of+stalled+deliberations+on+the+NZF%2C+the+transition+to+alternative+fuels+has+not+yet+begun+in+earnest%2C+orders+for+heavy+fuel+oil-powered+vessels+have+increased%2C+and+ship+prices+are+also+rising.%E2%80%9D+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CTo+prevent+the+collapse+of+the+supply-demand+balance+caused+by+excessive+ordering%2C+it+is+important+for+the+OECD%2C+a+public+international+organization%2C+to+disseminate+sound+market+analyses+and+demand+forecasts.+Rather+than+reports+from+a+single+country+or+private+organization%2C+objective+data+endorsed+by+the+OECD+should+be+disseminated+internationally.%E2%80%9D+%3Cbr%3E+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+Ship+Sector+Understanding+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--What+is+your+policy+for+addressing+the+rules+governing+the+provision+of+ship+export+credits+by+public+institutions+such+as+the+JBIC+%28the+Japan+Bank+for+International+Cooperation%29%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CWe+are+currently+working+to+revise+the+Ship+Export+Financing+Rules+%28Ship+Sector+Understanding%29.+The+revision+is+intended+to+enable+public+financial+institutions+to+provide+financing+on+favorable+terms+for+the+construction+of+environmentally+friendly+ships%2C+using+the+Energy+Efficiency+Design+Index+%28EEDI%29+and+other+measures.+Discussions+have+been+stalled+for+years+due+to+the+differing+interests+of+the+various+countries.+Coordination+will+not+be+easy%2C+but+we+hope+to+reach+an+early+agreement.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CThere+was+a+period+when+the+base+interest+rate+for+public+institutions+was+fixed+at+a+high+8%25%2C+and+its+use+stagnated.+Around+2002%2C+I+spent+about+a+year+negotiating+with+various+countries+as+the+secretariat%2C+and+the+system+was+changed+to+the+current+one+%28CIRR%29%2C+which+is+calculated+based+on+market+government+bond+yields+and+updated+monthly.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CHowever%2C+in+Japan%2C+private+financing+by+private+banks%2C+trading+companies%2C+and+others+is+well+developed%2C+and+public+financing+is+not+widely+used.+Under+OECD+rules%2C+public+financing+can+provide+loans+of+up+to+80%25+of+a+ship%E2%80%99s+price.+However%2C+in+Japan%2C+in+principle%2C+it+is+limited+to+50%25+of+the+OECD-specified+ceiling+%2880%25+of+the+ship+price%29%E2%80%94that+is%2C+40%25+of+the+ship+price%E2%80%94in+order+to+encourage+lending+by+private+financial+institutions.+Improving+the+usability+of+the+public+financing+system+is+also+a+task+assigned+to+the+committee%2C+and+we+would+like+to+work+on+making+improvements.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--How+will+you+review+the+shipbuilding+policies+of+the+various+countries%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CThrough+the+framework+of+%E2%80%99QA+sessions%2C%E2%80%99+we+will+review+support+systems+and+policy+trends+in+each+country.+Specifically%2C+meetings+will+be+held+once+every+six+months%2C+with+participants+asking+each+other+questions+to+enhance+transparency.+Such+exchanges+are+also+scheduled+to+take+place+at+the+meeting+at+the+end+of+October.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80--How+will+you+run+the+committee+as+chair%3F+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CShipbuilding+is+a+growth+industry+expected+to+expand+for+more+than+the+next+decade%2C+and+creating+a+sound+market+environment+to+meet+that+demand+is+essential.+Under+the+rules+of+international+conferences%2C+the+chair+must+remain+a+neutral+facilitator+%28referee%29+and+has+no+authority+to+determine+whether+a+particular+country%E2%80%99s+policies+are+good+or+bad.+I+believe+that+my+role+is+to+create+an+environment+in+which+member+countries+can+engage+sincerely+in+dialogue+and+discussion+and+reach+consensus+%28agreement%29.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Hideaki+Saito%3A+Graduated+from+College+of+Engineering+Science+at+Yokohama+National+University+in+1989+and+joined+the+Ministry+of+Transport+%28now+the+Ministry+of+Land%2C+Infrastructure%2C+Transport+and+Tourism%29.+1998%E2%80%932002%3A+Economist+%28shipbuilding%29%2C+OECD+Secretariat%3B+2008%E2%80%932011%3A+Vice+Chair+of+the+OECD+Shipbuilding+Working+Party+%28now+the+Shipbuilding+Committee%29.+From+2017%2C+he+served+as+director+of+the+Shipbuilding+and+Ship+Machinery+Division+of+the+Maritime+Bureau+and+as+Deputy+Director-General+for+Engineering+Affairs%2C+Maritime+Bureau%2C+among+other+posts%2C+before+retiring+from+government+service+in+2024.+In+the+same+year%2C+he+became+a+councilor+of+the+Shipbuilders%E2%80%99+Association+of+Japan%2C+and+in+June+2025%2C+he+was+appointed+executive+managing+director.+Since+July+2026%2C+he+has+also+concurrently+served+as+an+Counselor+to+the+MLIT.+From+2018+to+2022%2C+he+served+as+chair+of+the+IMO%E2%80%99s+MEPC.+59+years+old.+%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%E3%82%92%E5%88%A9%E7%94%A8%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%81%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%BE%E3%81%99%E3%80%82%3Cbr%3E

この記事を印刷する
Print
【インタビュー　国際会議の舵取り】OECD造船委員会議長・斎藤英明氏、中立進行で合意形成へ
2026/09/10(木)
日本海事新聞 JMD


関連記事ニュース Related news

デバッグエリア

　～　
title_ja=　 title_en=　

↑