The Japanese are already building aircraft carrying combat ships in response to the Chinese:
http://www.jeffhead.com/worldwideaircraftcarriers/16ddh.htm
And they have a larger class in planning:
http://www.freewebs.com/jeffhead/worldwideaircraftcarriers/22ddh.htm
If the Japanese want to go to the next level (aircraft carriers carrying 70-90 aircraft), the Japanese will have a number of advantages over the Chinese including access to still secret US carrier design technology.
Plus the Japanese have carrier experience. It’s not recent but it is experience.