Japan needs of cargo capacity for her warfare according to the Dutch newspaper Dagblad van het Zuiden voor Eindhoven, Meijerij, Peel en Kempenland daily edition dated 15 January 1942

According to a tiding dated Tokyo 14 January resulted the increase of military operations in East Asia (1) in increasing needs for cargo capacity and the Japanese prime minister Tojo (2) had the day before a long serious meeting with 40 important financial experts. Soezoeki, chairman of the office for planning told the audience that increasing of the shipbuilding program was a necessity.

Notes
1. Singapore was captured after the attack lasting from 8 to 15 February 1942 and on 8 March 1942 surrendered the Dutch forces in the Dutch East Indies. The British crown colony  Hong Kong all ready surrendered on 25 December 1941.
2. Tojo Hideki, prime minister between 18 October 1941 and 22 July 1944.