Japanese bases provided dry docks, warehouses, and quays for supplying the fleet with ammunition and food. Regular maintenance and repair kept machinery serviceable while crews trained, without the wear of a voyage around the world. Senior leadership divided responsibility for preparing bases and supplies, funding and procuring the force, and commanding it at sea. Political support also protected naval decisions from interference by the army and other elements of government. That freedom let the fleet commander choose how aggressively to operate with a force prepared for its assigned mission.
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How Japanese bases and political support sustained operations
Dockyard maintenance and dependable supplies kept Japan's fleet ready, while political support gave its commander room to act.