OK - so "Elite Infantry" is not a good name I suppose. . . So Perhaps, I should maybe call them early war infantry and late war - or veteran and poor or something (please give me your suggestion). . .
But, Japanese infrantry did decline in quality over the course of the war. By 1942, the Japanese started swapping out good formations in Manchuria and China with poor troops in order to get their best units out into the Pacific. By the time the Soviets invaded Manchuria, the Japanese army there was a shadow of what it was in 1939 in quality.
Bacically, the game has 2 types of infantry 2-3 units and 3-4 infantry units. French, Italian, Soviet and most minors are represented by 2-3 infantry. British, U.S. infantry formations are 3-4 for the most case. German and Japanese infantry declined in quality over the course of the war - and each nation id faced with a choice - to continue producing high quality formations in smaller numbers, or to switch to less quality infantry units but be able to produce them in greater numbers. I think this accurately reflects the course of the war - and I like to make it a decision on the part of the Japanese and Germans players when they want to make the switch.
Does this make sense?
cheers,
Mark