Depends on what you are counting. I think Britian had 8 fleet carriers to Japan's 7 at that point. Japan did have more light / escort carriers. The US had 7 fleet carriers, plus what was later classified as an escort carrier and another carrier that had been re-titled a seaplane tender but which had only Army P-40s on board when sunk by the Japs.
After the Battle of Midway, the tide was turned and the Japanese were doomed to defeat.
Actually, the Japanese were doomed to defeat even before Pearl Harbor. As Admiral Yamamoto said after Pearl Harbor, “I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve.”
They would do well to purchase or license American Essex class LHD and Tarawa class LHAs.
40,000t and designed for fixed wing VSTOL aircraft, with plenty of room for fuel and maintenance/weapons.
Most folks don’t know we have 10 of these and they all can carry about a dozen F-35b’s along with another 30 helos.
Proven design and capability.