Hōshō reflects an early support-carrier doctrine

Japanese designers used British experience to abandon an initial flying-off and seaplane arrangement, then removed Hōshō's island after observing airflow problems on Furious and Argus. Started in 1920 and completed in 1922, she became the first purpose-built aircraft carrier commissioned, ahead of Hermes despite the British ship's earlier origins. Her cruiser-like hull offered speed and range, although replacing deep guns, armor, and magazines with a high hangar and continuous flight deck could raise the center of gravity. The decision to reduce Hōshō's design speed to about 25 knots followed an early belief that carriers would stand off and support the battle fleet rather than maneuver as its striking center. British exercises around 1927-1928 then showed how an unexpected cruiser could catch separated carriers while they turned into the wind. That experience encouraged dedicated carrier command and escort arrangements and exposed the weakness of relying on a carrier's own medium-calibre guns for protection.