 The launch of HMS <unk> in 1906 by the Royal Navy raised the stakes , and complicated Japan 's plans . <unk> 17 @,@ 900 long tons ( 18 @,@ 200 t ) and armed with ten 12 @-@ inch ( 30 @.@ 5 cm ) guns , <unk> rendered all existing battleships obsolete by comparison . The launch of the battlecruiser HMS Invincible the following year was a further setback for Japan 's quest for parity . When the two new <unk> @-@ class battleships and two <unk> @-@ class armoured cruisers , launched by 1911 , were <unk> by their British counterparts , the Eight @-@ Eight Fleet Program was <unk> . 
