The Japanese Shipowners' Association (JSA) and the Norwegian Shipowners' Association (NSA) organised a bilateral high-level maritime round table conference in Tokyo on 20 May 2005. The round table was attended by the Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry and the Japanese Assistant Vice-Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, high-level representatives of Class NK and Det Norske Veritas Classification as well as the presidents of JSA and NSA. Japanese and Norwegian interests control two of the world’s largest merchant fleets. The conference aimed at reinforcing already strong ties between the shipping communities of the two countries…