[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Fisher said that Chinese leaks to media in Hong Kong and Japan last year indicated that Beijing plans a five-strong carrier fleet, including two nuclear-powered vessels."

Troubling. They will be second only to us in the amount of aircraft carriers. Japan and India need to start stepping up. I know that India's Navy has been growing. I don't know about Japans...

[null and void]

I believe Japan is limited to a coastal defense force as part of the terms of surrender.

[Lurker]

They will be second only to us in the amount of aircraft carriers.

Carrier operations are exceedingly complex. The US has over 70 years of experience in the area. China has none. While these may be 'operational' in a couple of years they will take at least a decade to gain any serious profiency in carrier operations.

[KingLudd]

Its being refurbished because it rear-ended something. Check out that front end damage. Frame’s probably toast.

[jboot]

Japan has recently launched two "Helicopter Destroyers" that are in fact small aircraft carriers capable (with modifications) of operating the F-35. Another pair of substantially larger "Helicopter Destroyers" are in the works. If completed, they will at least theoretically give Japan effective power projection capability. Unfortunately, the Japanese may be unable to utilize them in that role even in an emergency.

As someone else pointed out,the Japanese are severely hampered by the self-defense clause in their constitution. In order to build up militarily they must maintain an environment where "one hand does not know what the other is doing." Any attempt to outfit their new "carriers" for offensive operations will certainly be met with intense political opposition.