The replacement of the Duguay-Trouin class, dating from the 1920s, had been considered since 1936. Approved in 1937, the new class (later named De Grasse, Chateaurenault and guichen), was ordered in 1938 and construction of the lead ship started at Arsenal de Lorient in November 1938. In June 1940, with shortage of workforce and equipment, construction of the hull was suspended. In fact, afer the armistice, the Vichy regime was allowed to resume construction on its own account, but problems labour shortage remained. In addition there was a fear she could be recovered by the Germans after construction, so work progressed at snail pace. It was resumed after the war on new plans in 1948, converted as an anti-aircraft cruiser in 1950.
Netherlands/Germany - De Zeven Provinciën/KH1 - cruiser light
In the 1930s there was an increased awareness in the Netherlands about the threat which the Imperial Japanese Navy posed to the Dutch East Indies. To face this, the Koninklijke Marine embarked on a major naval expansion program in 1932, which included building two new light cruisers as replacements for the aging Java-class cruisers. The design was an improvement of the earlier HNLMS De Ruyter and both ships were laid down in 1939. The first was named Kijkduin, later changed to Eendracht, and the second one received the name De Zeven Provinciën, hence the name of the class. The main armament was designed as two triple and two twin Bofors 152 mm/53 caliber guns.
However, construction was interrupted by the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands on 10 May 1940. De Zeven Provinciën was 25% completed and Kijkduin 12%. The Germans redesigned the ships main armament. De Zeven Provinciën was planned with four dual turrets 15 cm SK C/28 guns. Eendracht was planned with smaller guns taken from a broken down battleship, but the exact gun types are unknown. The Germans continued work on De Zeven Provinciën which was more advanced than its twin; it was renamed KH1 ("KH" means "Kreuzer Holland") and modified by fitting an Atlantik Bow. Eendracht was renamed KH2. Work progressed very slowly as the dockyards' capacity was used for other purposes and sabotage by the Dutch resistance affected progress. On 24 December 1944, KH1 was launched for use as a blockship in the Nieuwe Waterweg of Rotterdam but this action was never carried out.
Japan - Nakajima J1N Gekko - Landbased/Landfighter
The Nakajima J1N Gekko was the main land-based fast twin-engine heavy fighter of the IJN. With 479 built it was easily eclipsed by the Zero but proved its worth for escorting land-based bombers especially in the early stage of the Pacific campaign.
The French didn't convert her to an AA cruiser until after the war. I believe the plan was for a more modern version of the La Galissonnière class cruiser. It was larger had a bit more armor and improved propulsion. A speed SA would probably fit it well as with a lot of the French navy.
There was a night fighter version. That is the Gekko. She was going after B-29's in the mid to late war and also used as a kamakazi. On reading further, because of the sluggish handling, being used as an escort fighter had to be abandoned. Ended up being a reconnaissance plane until adapted into the Gekko night-fighter form.
Returning to port, U653 spotted a convoyban vectored its wolf pack on to it. So in terms of a differentiation, a vectoring SA for other subs. Potentiallynmore powerful than a bonus to its own torpedoes as it brimg other subs into range, or to shorter ranges