It's Japan’s second largest shipbuilder after Imabari Shipbuilding, with shipyard facilities in Kure, Hiroshima, Yokohama, Nagasu, Kumamoto, Maizuru, Kyoto and Mie prefectures.

JMU's products include the design, manufacture, purchase and sale of both merchant and naval ships, offshore engineering and ship life cycle services.

Nippon Kokan (NKK) established by Asano zaibatsu in 1912.

[1][2] On January 1, 2021, JMU (with 49% of shares) merged into a new joint venture with Imabari Shipbuilding (with 51% of shares) named Nihon Shipyard [ja] covering all ship types except LNG carriers,[3] which are designed and sold by MI LNG Company [ja], established as a joint venture of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Imabari Shipbuilding.

[citation needed] Nihon Shipyard designs, builds and promotes zero-emission vessels.