Japanese Imperial Navy in 1941 - Before the Pearl Harbor Attack

In Girl in the Glass, the China Marines are tasked with returning Declan to the United States. They run into some unexpected company:

They refueled before continuing east over the Kuril Islands (An island chain North of Japan and South of Russia). Approximately 900 miles later, they encountered a Japanese fleet of aircraft carriers and support vessels in the North Pacific, well past Imperial Japan’s sphere of military control. Despite the cargo plane slipping into range of the Japanese fleet several times, they were never fired upon. This included close encounters with the carrier’s Zero fighter planes.

Before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Imperial Japanese Navy was the third largest in the world. In 1941, their navy consisted of 10 battleships, 9 aircraft carriers, 35 cruisers, 113 destroyers, and 48 large submarines, with over 3,000 aircraft for aerial support. A formidable force known for its advanced carrier aviation and innovative tactics, the Imperial Navy was a key component of Japan's strategic planning, aiming to achieve naval dominance in the Pacific. 

When the carrier group Kido Butai attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, it was considered the most powerful naval strike force in the world. Kido Butai, meaning "Mobile Force", consisted of six aircraft carriers and their supporting warships, and led the surprise attack. The Japanese fleet was equipped with advanced aircraft like Mitsubishi Zero fighters and torpedo bombers, pioneering the use of carrier-based air power to coordinate aerial attacks.

Imperial Japanese Navy fleet

Japanese battleship - Kirishima

Japanese aircraft carrier Hōshō

Mitsubishi Zero