Japanese policy was more cargo capacity instead of passengers ships according to the Dutch Algemeen Handelsblad dated 19 October 1940

An item referred to earlier tidings that the passengers service of the Japanese shipping Lines would hugely increased or combined with other activities. The Japanese cabinet announced that in the future Japan would built just freighters and that passenger ships already laid down would be converted into freighters. The Japanese fleet of passengers with a total gross register tonnage of 200.000 tons had to be decreased resulting in an increase of cargo capacity. This decision was caused by a decreasing number of passengers and more important the intention of the Japanese cabinet to get a monopoly in the East Asian trade shipping.