Long cruiser runs made standardization practical

Did short Japanese cruiser classes reflect a production disadvantage compared with British and American runs of ten or more ships?

Class sizes varied, but Britain and the United States were more able to settle on a successful cruiser design and build it in long standardized runs.

Cruiser class sizes varied, so the contrast between small Japanese classes and British or American classes of ten or more ships needs qualification. Britain and the United States often began with a few ships of a design. Once satisfied with it, they could commit to a much longer production run. Repeating a successful design was an important part of their approach to cruiser construction.