Could Japan lead with a night surface approach?

Could the Japanese have led with their surface fleet closing at night and brought the carriers in as the air attacks began?

They could have tried if they knew the American position, but the plan depended on reconnaissance information they did not reliably possess.

The maneuver was physically possible only if the Japanese first knew where the American force was. That qualification exposes the larger operational problem: a night surface plan cannot compensate for weak or late reconnaissance. Maneuver options depend on locating the enemy soon enough to coordinate them.