What Japanese capital ship could defeat a British-modified Tiger battlecruiser in Chinese service?
Short answerNagato could beat it, several Kongos could overwhelm it, and Japan might accelerate Yamato, while China would struggle most with financing and sustainment.
NotesA suitable Japanese counter must both catch the battlecruiser and defeat it in gunfire. Nagato can win the engagement, while four Kongo-class ships could overwhelm it at the likely cost of serious Japanese losses. Its appearance might also add urgency to Yamato construction rather than produce an entirely new capital-ship type. The larger issue is Chinese capacity: financing, corruption, trained crews, maintenance, and dockyard support would decide whether the ship remained useful. Hong Kong could not normally dock such a vessel, but an associated base upgrade or floating dry dock could provide the necessary support.