The first of the Japanese heavy cruisers appeared as 7100-ton long-range scouts of the fleet entering the ocean and their projects were approved even before the signing of the Washington Treaty. Nevertheless, they were created with an eye to the British merchant cruisers of the end of World War I, such as Hawkins, which are considered the immediate predecessors of all Washingtonians. Having built 4 ships with weapons that were noticeably inferior to the first "10,000-ton" probable opponents, the Japanese more than compensated for their lag in the next two series, due to all kinds of tricks (and they did not disdain the violation of treaties) giving them 1 -2 more guns than others, as well as powerful torpedo and aviation weapons.