They signed the treaty in February 1922, which greatly reduced the tonnage allowed for capital ships for Japan, assorted by a moratorium on new constructions. The Washington Naval Treaty was seen by Japanese politicians opposing the military faction a way to recover budgetary sanity. They were all named after mountains and Takao initially was "Ashitaka" after Mount Ashitaka. Takao was laid down at Mitsubishi shipyard (Nagasaki) on 19 December 1921, projected completion date was December 1924. Projection date for completion was to be December 1924. IJN Atago followed, laid down in Kobe, Kawasaki shipyard on 22 November 1921. She would also be the first launched, with projected completion dates, for the first pair of December and November 1923 respectively. Nevertheless, the Navy had its naval plan approved and orders passed to Kure Naval Arsenal (Akagi), Yokosuka Naval Arsenal (Amagi), which were laid down in December 1920, IJN Akagi ten days prior Amagi. This superlative combination of speed, protection and firepower imposed drastically larger dimensions and a soaring cost, which was contested at the diet (parliament) in 19. Displacing as standard 41,200 tonnes, and an estimated 47,000 tonnes fully laden, these 252 m long ships, 31 m wide, armed with ten 16-in guns were also capable of 30 knots thanks to the unprecedented output of 130,000 shp.
The Amagi class were with the USN Lexington class the largest military warships in the world at that time. This sealed the fate of the Amagi class ships already in construction, despite the fact they were nearing completion at that time, just like the Tosa class battleships. Politicians opposed the military and decided to agree to the Washington treaty limitation in 1922. The plan approved in 1917 funded the two first battlecruisers of the Amagi class, expanded to four four by late 1917 and in 1918 the addition of two more battleships for the famous '8-8' plan, taking an enormous financial strain on Japan, spending about a third of its national budget on the Navy alone. With their better protection they already anticipated the next generation of fast battleships of the interwar. With a displacement almost double of the Kongo class, their predecessors, these ships were the fulcrum of the 8-8 plan, battlecruisers equivalent of the Nagato class battleship with an extra 410 mm turret. IJN Akagi was originally part of a four-ships class, the Amagi class battlecruisers (Amagi, Kaga, Atago, takao). She was fast and could carry 91 planes, but her career was relatively short, as she sank in the battle of Midway in June 1942, crippling the Kido Butai.Ī sketch of the Amagi and author's rendition Design
IJN Akagi, like the US Lexington class, was converted from a battlecruiser and arguably more successful than Kaga, from a battleship. Famous for her participation in the Pearl harbour attack in December 1941, IJN Kaga already had a long career under her belt, notably in China, and its pilots were among the world's best trained, led by 15 years veterans. With Kaga, the Zuikaku class, IJN Hiryu and IJN Soryu, she was part of the famous Kido Butai, probably the world's best, aircraft carrier unit worldwide in 1941. IJN Akagi was the second IJN carrier to enter service, converted, as her sister ship Kaga later, on a cancelled capital from "8-8 plan" due to the Washington treaty limitations. Fleet Aircraft Carrier The Akagi, first IJN fleet aircraft carrier
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