Japan building pocket battleships or cruiser-destroyers according to the Australian newspaper The Sydney Morning Herald dated Tuesday 8 February 1938

Japanese pocket battleship Kadekuru or Kazekuru anno 1940. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

An item reported that the London Naval Conference of 1936 declared a holiday in the building of ships between 8,000-17,500 tons and limiting the calibre to 15.24cm/6”. Japan however was now building pocket battleships or cruiser-destroyers of 15,000 tons armed with 27.94cm/11”guns. Such ships were able to outrange the poorly armoured Washington cruisers.

Source

Trove.nla.gov.au