New Japanese Supercarrier
Terming a new carrier warship ‘mother ship’ rather than carrier or supercarrier is an effective means for Japanese advocates of a larger military to again avoid invoking the memory of the Japanese Empire or accusations of pressing for remilitarisation. Imperial Japan fielded a sizeable carrier fleet during the Pacific War, including the 65,000 ton carrier Shinano, a gargantuan vessel and by far the largest of its time, and the commissioning of large carrier warships designed for offensive power projection is set to spark considerable controversy. The LDP notably called for a new carrier to be built with capabilities to attack enemy bases, and for the purchase of F-35B fighters to equip Izumo Class warships currently in service for such offensive operations. While Japan’s first conventional aircraft carrier is unlikely to be a fully fledged supercarrier, a warship displacing over 100,000 tons which are currently fielded only by the Untied States Navy, commissioning a medium sized carrier of approximately 70,000 tons similar to the Russian Kuznetsov Class, this could well be a stepping stone to commissioning larger carriers including supercarriers in the future.
Credit: Military history