Captain

The general manager of a ship's operation and crew labor. In the age of sailing ships, including in Japan up until modern times, the captain was the ship's owner or ship's co-owner, and also the person responsible for navigation. As steamships developed and became capital management, captains became employed crew members, and shipowners and countries maintained the previous systems and practices and established many duties, powers, and obligations for the captain out of a need to command and supervise the captain and, through him, the crew. Article 713 of the Commercial Code stipulates that the captain, as the agent of the shipowner, may perform all acts necessary for the voyage outside the ship's port of registry (the port equivalent to a person's permanent domicile), but on the other hand, Article 703 stipulates that if the captain cannot prove that he has not neglected his duties, he may be asked to pay damages. Article 7 of the Seafarers Act (Act No. 100 of 1947) stipulates that the captain shall command and supervise seafarers, and Article 22 states that the captain may discipline seafarers, while Articles 8 to 14 stipulate that the captain must always be present on board to perform his/her duties and ensure the maximum safety of the voyage.

Since ship operation depends on the skill of maneuvering, which requires experience, the captain has traditionally been a graduate of the ranks of navigators, but he can only fulfill his duties through cooperation with the chief engineer, chief radio officer, and other seamen. Shipowners assemble sales, technical, and labor staff on land to give instructions to the captain on a daily basis. Although the captain is the agent of the shipowner, he is merely a hired seaman and has heavy public responsibilities. There was a dispute between labor and management in the shipping industry over the status of captains of ocean-going ships, and in 1965 (Showa 40), arbitration was issued to make the captain a non-union member.

[Yoichi Shinohara]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

一船の船舶運航と船員労務の総括管理者。日本を含め近代までの帆船時代の船長は、船主船長か船舶共有者であり、かつ航海責任者であった。汽船が発達し資本経営になると、船長も雇われ船員となったため、船舶所有者や国は、船長とそれを通じて船員を指揮監督する必要から、それまでの制度や慣行を維持し、船長に対して多くの職務、権限、義務を定めた。商法は、第713条で、船長は船舶所有者の代理人として、船籍港（人の本籍に相当する港）外では航海のために必要ないっさいの行為を行いうるが、他方第703条で、船長はその職務を怠っていないことを証明できなければ、損害賠償を求められると規定している。船員法（昭和22年法律100号）は、第7条で、船長は海員を指揮監督し、第22条で海員を懲戒できるとするが、他方第8条～14条で、常時在船して職務を行い、航海の安全を最大限に確保すべきであると規定している。

　船舶運航は、経験を必要とする操船の良否によって左右されるため、船長は伝統的に航海士の累進者であるが、機関長や通信長、その他海員の協同により、初めてその職務を果たしうる。船舶所有者は、陸上部門に営業、技術、労務のスタッフをそろえ、船長に対して日常的に指示を与えている。船長は、船舶所有者の代理人でありながら、雇われ船員にすぎず、しかも公共的責任は重い。外航船の船長の地位をめぐり、海運労使で紛争があり、1965年（昭和40）に非組合員とするという仲裁が出された。

［篠原陽一］

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