Jap destroyers were good for the era they fought in. Better than ours in a lot of ways.
Japanese destroyers incessantly drilled in, and were masters at, the use of torpedoes in combat. American naval doctrine tended to minimize their usefulness in naval engagements.
Many American sailors died in initial naval battles during the Guadalcanal campaign because of this shortcoming.
(And Naval commanders were lagging in tactical use of radar as well, one of our technical superiorities.)