Yamato & Mushasi

[Mike Abberton]

They could certainly never match the US production potential, but they could have made more DDs than they did. From what I have read, there were DD-sized construction slips lying dormant in 1942-3. And patrol craft/DE sized ships could probably have been constructed at merchant shipyards with a little effort.

I think the IJN just could not get over the concept of using "warriors" to guard "merchants", so they only built enough DDs to support the battle line. The freighters and tankers were left to their own for the most part until it was way too late.