Japan cabotage
Ship Law + Ship Officers and Boats Officers Law
- Citizenship requirement
- Japanese-flag + Japanese-national crew for domestic coastal trades
- Vessel flag required
- Japanese flag only
- Officer quota
- 100% Japanese-national officers + ratings
- Wage effect
- Japanese domestic seafarer wages among the highest in Asia; strong JSU CBAs
Notes
Strictly enforced. Foreign-flag vessels cannot operate coastal trades. Japanese domestic fleet dominated by NYK, MOL, K-Line, plus smaller domestic operators. Ferries + coastal tankers particularly protected.