Could Japan answer a renewed arms race with supercruisers?

Might Japan bring out its supercruiser designs in response to the renewed arms race?

Possibly. A smaller Yamato study with nine 16-inch guns or additional Shokaku-type carriers also offered ways to add capital ships within Japan's restricted shipyard capacity.

Japan could not simply order more full-size Yamatos because building the historical ships already required extensive yard upgrades. One suggested way to free capacity was to use two yards restricted to commercial work for political reasons. A smaller Yamato study offered another possibility: nine 16-inch guns, roughly 50,000 to 55,000 tons and 28 knots on a hull that could use a smaller slipway. Its protection was expected to substantially exceed that of the contemporary North Carolina and South Dakota designs. More Shokaku-type carriers were another possible response if Japan chose to expand naval aviation instead of its gun battle line. Each option still depended on the facilities Japan could make available.