Japanese doctrine required attrition before decisive battle

Would a reinforced Allied fleet in Asia give Japan the decisive battle it wanted?

Not in the preferred form: Japanese doctrine expected prior attrition and a battle nearer home waters, so an early distant carrier offensive would be a different and riskier operation.

Japanese doctrine called for heavy attrition of an approaching enemy before a decisive battle near Japan. An immediate carrier battle in the South China Sea would be a territorial offensive undertaken before that preferred sequence had occurred. Japan could instead withdraw and wait for the Allies to approach. Waiting would let British and American carrier strength accumulate, and an Allied advance could recover bases through the Philippines and Hong Kong toward Japan. Those bases would support the British preference for a close blockade.