What ships would Japan keep or build if the United States used it against the Soviet Far East after 1945?
Short answerAmphibious ships, cruisers, and a few bombardment battleships would matter more than carriers, destroyers, or submarines.
NotesThe Soviet Pacific Fleet did not present a target set that required restoring the whole Imperial Japanese Navy. American carriers could provide air power, while Japanese battleships retained for the campaign would mainly serve amphibious bombardment. Cruisers and especially landing ships would be more valuable for moving troops along the Soviet coast. Destroyers and submarines would have less justification, and former Japanese bases would be rebuilt as Allied forward infrastructure. The proposed fleet is therefore shaped by the mission rather than by a desire to preserve prestigious wartime classes.