Ryujo's design tried to exploit the 10,000-ton treaty threshold, leaving Japan with a small carrier for the northern operation. Junyo was a merchant conversion purchased in 1941 and completed as a carrier in May 1942. Her completion only weeks before the June raids left little time to work up. The Dutch Harbor force therefore combined a small prewar carrier with a newly completed conversion whose preparation was still limited.
Notable Point · 2:13:28-2:14:17
Ryujo, Junyo, and the limits of carrier readiness
The Dutch Harbor carrier force combined Ryujo's small hull with Junyo's limited time to work up after conversion.