ORIGINAL: Mogami
Hi, Japan has 240mm Howitzers in CD units.
MOGAMI They should have 16" naval Rifles in the locations I mentioned. Turrets that
were completed for the rest of the Mutsu Class were used in these locations. One big
problem the Japanese had during the War itself was a lack of suitable guns to use for
CD. Like everything else, their gun production was limited, and the Army didn't really
produce much that was suitable for this purpose. The US could easily adapt the Army's
155mm (6.1") mobile guns (Long Tom's) with Kelley or Panama Mounts for CD duty---
the IJA was short of heavy artillery and had no such option available. The Japanese
were limited to using old Naval mountings and captured pieces in their new conquests.
Which meant they had some guns, but not a real "Coast Defense Artillery" system in
these locations. Their only "real" CD units would be in the "pre-war" holdings and not
really very mobile. Shore mounted artillery is just artillery on shore..., CD implies an
"integrated system" of spotters, ploting, and adjusting fire quickly against moving targets.
In this, the Japanese were lacking. Which is why you rarely hear of Japanese Artillery
engaging the Bombardment Force during an invasion. They prefered to hold fire and
shoot at the landing craft as they were coming into short range with their (usually limited)
ammunition.