Namura Shipbuilding president Kensuke Namura has hit back at market speculation that his yard’s planned acquisition of Sasebo Heavy Industries was forced upon it by the shipbuilder’s majority shareholder and the Japanese government.

Since the announcement that Sasebo is to become a Namura subsidiary, there has been talk in the market that the tie-up was prompted by Nippon Steel Sumitomo Metals Corp, which holds a significant shareholding in both yards.