Convoys did exist, but you need to understand the way it worked.
The IJN commandeered a bunch of merchant shipping. Shipping directly to the naval "front" was always escorted.
The civies and particularly IJ Army, could just pound sand. Pathological rivalry.
So Empire-->Palau-->PNG/Rabaul escorted.
Empire-->Truk-->Marshalls/Rabaul/PNG escorted.
Singapore run, etc, not escorted early on.
tater
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