ShinMaywa grew out of Kawanishi, which built flying boats and other aircraft before and during the Second World War. During the occupation and Korean War era, maintenance work for American forces helped Japan retain aviation skills and industrial capacity. Overhauling US Navy Martin P5M Marlins gave the company further work on flying boats. Its advocates repeatedly pressed the Japanese government to invest in aircraft that could operate from water. Japan's scattered islands offered places from which flying boats could extend operations.
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From Kawanishi to ShinMaywa
Aircraft overhaul work sustained postwar Japanese aviation, while ShinMaywa pressed for flying boats suited to Japan's scattered islands.