Conserving the fleet and trying to improve convoys

Japan's naval position was already deteriorating badly when Oikawa reached the naval staff, leaving him little prospect of reversing its defeat. He tried to conserve the fleet's shrinking resources and avoid losing ships without a clear purpose. He also attempted to establish a more effective convoy system. These efforts had to work with steadily diminishing resources. Managing relations with the Army consumed more of the time available to address naval problems.