Japan could build sophisticated machinery, but it lacked enough industrial space and high-quality raw material for the scale of its ambitions. The steel and swordmaking example argues that poor inputs can drive exceptional skill because craftspeople must work to tighter standards to obtain the desired result. Abundant high-quality inputs can reduce that pressure, although abundance can also support artisans who pursue excellence for its own sake. This industrial aside adds another dimension to Japan's shortage of oil, merchant shipping, and fleet auxiliaries.
Notable Point · 1:08:03-1:09:32
Scarce raw materials reward Japanese craftsmanship
Scarce and lower-quality mineral inputs could reward exacting craftsmanship while limiting the scale of Japanese production.