With five carriers fully equipped with air groups, plus their numerous battleships, cruisers, and destroyers, the Japanese Combined Fleet, directed by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, was confident that it could make up for the defeat at the Battle of Midway.
Med fem hangarskibe fuldt udstyret med fly og talrige slagskibe, krydsere og destroyere var den japanske flåde under admiral Isoroku Yamamoto sikker på, at de kunne få revanche for nederlaget i slaget ved Midway.