造船業の国際競争力強化　中韓に対抗、改正法成立

　国内の造船・海運業への財政支援を柱とする改正造船法などが１４日の参院本会議で全会一致で可決、成立した。業界の国際競争力を強化し、低価格競争を繰り広げる中国、韓国に対抗するのが目的。
　改正法によると、造船会社が事業再編や生産性向上に役立つ投資案などを盛り込んだ計画を作成し、国土交通相が認定すれば、税制優遇や補助金支給、低利融資などの支援が受けられる。（2021/05/14-10:31）

The Diet, Japan's parliament, on Friday enacted a set of bills mainly aimed at enhancing the international competitiveness of domestic shipbuilders and shipping firms.
   The House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, unanimously approved the bills, including one to revise the shipbuilding law, at the day's plenary meeting. The bills cleared the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, last month.
   The law revisions are chiefly intended to expand financial assistance to Japanese shipbuilders and shipping firms so that they can compete better against their Chinese and South Korean rivals, which are fiercely competing for lower prices.
   Under the revised laws, shipbuilders can get tax breaks, subsidies, low interest loans or other assistance if the minister of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism approves their business plans, such as those featuring restructuring measures or investment plans aimed at improving productivity.
   The government will offer financial assistance to shipping companies that purchase ships built by firms with minister-authorized business plans.