Japan's pursuit of destroyer-killing torpedo boats

Treaty exemptions offered Japan an opportunity to build numerous small warships using smaller yards and crews. One proposed alternative was a force of adaptable escorts and anti-submarine vessels. The Chidori design instead pursued enough fighting power to threaten destroyers, overloading a small hull with the ambitions of a larger combatant. The Tomozuru disaster exposed the resulting top-heaviness, and even the redesigned Otori receives criticism for carrying too much weight high up. The design argument centers on matching armament and stability to the work these vessels needed to perform.