Overview: Japan is a shipbuilding superpower. About one-fifth of all the world's ships are made here. From advanced luxury cruise ships to gigantic oil tankers, cutting-edge technology and traditional knowhow power Japanese shipbuilding. Since ancient times, the Japanese have made distinctive boats suited to the country's climate. This has given rise to unique shipbuilding techniques. In the 1960s, Japan drew global attention as its shipbuilding technology was put to the test. An ambitious project was undertaken to build the world's largest tanker. In recent times, research to make ships more environmentally friendly has resulted in new and innovative "eco-ships." On this edition of BEGIN Japanology, our theme is shipbuilding. We'll discover how Japan became and continues to be a global leader in shipbuilding.