The treaty gap that created the heavy cruiser

Treaty heavy cruisers such as Furutaka and Hawkins belonged to a different lineage from the larger armoured cruisers that led to battle cruisers and ships such as Alaska or Deutschland. Combining battleships and battle cruisers into one capital-ship category left a large design gap above treaty cruisers. An early proposal of uncertain official standing called for 9,000-ton light cruisers, 18,000-ton heavy cruisers, and roughly 54,000-ton capital ships. Under that scheme the 7,100-ton Furutaka class would have counted as light cruisers, showing how treaty definitions could reshape labels and design incentives. Whatever the category, Japan's decision to reserve carrier aircraft for striking power left these cruisers responsible for the aerial reconnaissance demanded by Kantai Kessen.