Japan sees carriers as an industrial offset

In this interpretation, Japan's geography and comparatively limited heavy industrial base make carriers more attractive than battleships. A battleship locks a navy into armour, turrets, shells, and expensive heavy manufacturing, while a carrier can change combat power by changing aircraft and aircraft weapons. Even converting a heavy naval shell into an aircraft bomb is less demanding than rebuilding a ship around a new gun system. Carriers remain expensive and complex, but they offer a more adaptable route to striking power under industrial pressure.