Japan's Midway destroyers came from capable modern classes, but the fleet had not built enough of them to screen all its carriers, capital ships, cruisers, and tankers. The Type 96 25 mm gun was a weak answer to air attack, although even an ineffective weapon could have morale value for crews under fire. Japan needed a cheaper escort category comparable to Royal Navy sloops, whose nominal speed limits did not prevent designers from producing useful warships. Such vessels could have expanded screening numbers without demanding the same resources as top-tier fleet destroyers. Prestige projects and sophisticated combatants competed with the numerous workmanlike escorts a balanced wartime fleet required.
Notable Point · 53:07-56:39
Japan needed cheaper escorts alongside elite destroyers
Capable but scarce Japanese destroyers left too few escorts, prompting a comparison with the Royal Navy's cheaper sloop approach.