Japan may still face six American 16-inch-gun ships and a powerful British program, but it can point to the world's largest individual battleship. Tosa's ten 16-inch guns give that claim naval weight as well as propaganda value. The ship becomes a visible answer to Anglo-American numerical superiority. Possessing such a prestige vessel could influence later Japanese decisions beyond the immediate addition of one hull to the order of battle.
Notable Point · 49:10-50:15
Tosa becomes Japan's ten-gun prestige battleship
Completing Tosa gives Japan the world's largest battleship in the early 1920s and a ten-gun symbol of parity despite Anglo-American numerical superiority.