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The Japanese wanted aircraft with superior manuervability and long range. The Japanese knew that range would be important in Pacific operations. They also believed that a VERY highly trained pilot corps with the warrior spirit would vanquish any enemy.

The Americans went in for a plane that might not be as manuevable and have the range but had armor and self-sealing fuel tanks to protect the highly trained pilot. The American aircraft typically had a heavier armament the the Japanese planes as well.

It could be said that the Japanese went for quality over quantity, while the Americans went for quantity over quality in pilots. Not a perfect analogy as the Americans after the training programs got up to speed produced a very competent pilot.

For a good discussion of what the training that the Japanese Navy put there pilots thru see,IIRC< Saburo Saki's book Zero Pilot. The pilot trainig in the IJN was nothing short of brutal as I recall.

have to call it a night I will check on the book title in the AM.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}