Japan chose southern resources partly because naval forces could help secure them. Island airfields were intended to support a defensive perimeter across the Pacific. The comparison with Chinese island-base proposals turns on the amount of air and naval power available to sustain such positions. Japan's plan anticipated wearing down an approaching opponent during a relatively short war. Its infrastructure and industry were poorly placed for the prolonged attrition Japan itself experienced.
Notable Point · 1:14:14-1:15:29
Japan's island perimeter and the limits of a short-war plan
Island positions depended on supporting air and sea power, while Japan's industrial endurance limited the length of war it could sustain.