Why Japan struggled to raid Allied supply lines

Could Japan raid U.S. supply lines to Australia, and why did it not do so more effectively?

Japan lacked enough suitable surface raiders and kept its ships committed elsewhere, so attacking Allied commerce never received the necessary priority.

The Imperial Japanese Navy lacked enough ships designed and available for sustained surface raiding. The fleet had many competing operational demands, and commerce warfare never became the priority needed to divert suitable hulls. The exchange highlights the difference between wanting to threaten a sea lane and possessing the specialized force structure to do it continuously.