List of Japanese Navy ships and war vessels in World War II

This list of Japanese Naval ships and war vessels in World War II is a list of seafaring vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II. It includes submarines, battleships, oilers, minelayers and other types of Japanese sea vessels of war and naval ships used during wartime. It also includes the various ships of the Imperial Japanese Army.

Aircraft carriers

Heavy/Fleet carriers Fleet Carrier (11)ClassPictureTypeShips (Years in Service)DisplacementNote Akagi-class Fleet carrier Akagi (1927–1942) 36,500 tonnes Converted from an Amagi-class battlecruiser. Sunk at Midway on June 5, 1942 Kaga-class Aircraft carrier Kaga (1928–1942) 38,200 tonnes Converted from a Tosa-class battleship. Sunk at Midway on June 4, 1942 Sōryū-class Aircraft carrier Sōryū (1937–1942)Hiryū (1939–1942) 16,200 tonnes Hiryū is often considered to be a separated class. Sunk at Midway on June 5, 1942, Soryu took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Wake Island, and supported the conquest of the Dutch East Indies. She was sunk at Midway on June 4, 1942 Shōkaku-class Aircraft carrier Shōkaku (1941–1944)Zuikaku (1941–1944) 25,675 tonnes With the exception of the Battle of Midway, Shōkaku and Zuikaku participated in every major naval action of the Pacific War, including the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Indian Ocean Raid, the Battle of the Coral Sea, and the Guadalcanal Campaign. Both carriers were sunk during the 1944 Pacific campaigns. Unryū-class Aircraft carrier Unryū (1944–1944)Amagi (1944–1945)Katsuragi (1944–1945) 17,480 tonnes The design for these ships was based on the aircraft carrier Hiryū. IJN Planned to build 16 ships, however only 3 were completed and 2 almost completed (one of which was sunk as a target then salvaged and later scrapped) before the project was abandoned in favour of Shinano's construction. Unryū was sunk by the USS Redfish, Amagi capsized after air attacks and Katsuragi was the only heavy carrier to survive the war Taihō-class Aircraft carrier Taihō (1944–1944) 30,250 tonnes A bit of a break from traditional Japanese carrier design, Taiho was a heavily armoured carrier expected to withstand multiple bombs and torpedo strikes. However, design faults and poor damage control allowed it to be sunk with one torpedo from the on June 19, 1944 Shinano-class Aircraft carrier Shinano (1944–1944) 65,800 tonnes Initially laid down as the third of the Yamato-class battleships, Shinano was converted into an aircraft carrier due to the Japanese defeat at Midway. She was sunk on November 29, 1944, by torpedoes from .

Light carriers Light Aircraft Carrier (9)ClassPictureTypeShipsDisplacementNote Hōshō-class Light aircraft carrier Hōshō (1922–1945) 7,470 tonnes First purpose-built carrier in the world. Scrapped 1946. Ryūjō-class Light aircraft carrier Ryūjō (1931–1942) 8,000 tonnes Sunk 1942. Hiyō-class Light aircraft carrier Hiyō (1942–1944)Jun'yō (1942–1946) 24,150 tonnes Converted from an ocean liner in 1939. Hiyō sunk and Jun'yō scrapped 1946–1947. Zuihō-class Light aircraft carrier Zuihō (1940–1944)Shōhō (1939–1942) 11,443 tonnes Both sunk during WWII. Chitose-class Light aircraft carrier Chitose (1938/1944–1944)Chiyoda (1938/1944–1944) 11,200 tonnes Both ships were seaplane tenders before their conversion in 1943. Both ships sunk in 1944. Ryūhō-class Light aircraft carrier Ryūhō (1934/1942–1945) 16,700 tonnes Converted from the submarine tender Taigei 1941–1942. Recommissioned as Ryūhō 1942. Scrapped 1946.

Escort carriers Escort Carrier (10)ClassPictureTypeShipsDisplacementNote Taiyō-class Escort carrier Taiyō (1941–44)Chūyō (1942–43)Un'yō (1942–44) 17,830 tonnes All sunk. Kaiyō-class Escort carrier Kaiyō (1943–1945) 13,600 tonnes. Converted from ocean liner Argentina Maru. Scrapped 1946. Shin'yō-class Escort carrier Shin'yō (1943–1944) 17,500 tonnes Converted from the German liner SS Scharnhorst 1942. Sunk 1944 by USS Spadefish. Special 1TL Type Escort carrier Shimane Maru (1945–1945) 11,989 tonnes Special 2TL Type Escort carrier Yamashio Maru (1945–1945) 16,119 tonnes Operated by the Imperial Japanese Army. Type C landing craft carrier Landing craft carrier Akitsu Maru (1942–1944) 11,800 tonnes Operated by the Imperial Japanese Army. Landing craft carrier with a flight deck M Type C landing craft carrier Landing craft carrier Kumano Maru (1945–1945) 8,258 tonnes Operated by Imperial Japanese Army. Landing craft carrier with a flight deck

Seaplane tenders Seaplane Tender (9)ClassPictureTypeShipsDisplacementNote Nisshin-class Seaplane tender Nisshin (1942–1943) 11,499 tonnes Also midget submarine carrier and minelayer Kamikawa Maru-class Seaplane tender Kamikawa Maru (1937–1943)Kiyokawa Maru (1941–1946)Kimikawa Maru (1937–1944)Kunikawa Maru (1937–1945) 6,862 tonnes Hirokawa Maru of the same class was converted to auxiliary (anti-aircraft) cruiser instead of seaplane tender when impressed for Navy service Akitsushima-class Seaplane tender Akitsushima (1942–1944) 4,725 tonnes Kamoi-class Seaplane tender Kamoi (1922–1947) 17,273 tonnes Notoro-class Seaplane tender Notoro (1934–1947) 15,647 tonnes Of 7 oilers in class, Notoro was converted to seaplane tender and Shiretoko to munition ship Mizuho-class Seaplane tender Mizuho (1939–1942) 10,930 tonnes Also midget submarine carrier

Armoured vessels

Battlecruisers Fast Battleship (4) – former battlecruisersClassPictureTypeShips in classDisplacementMain batteryNote Kongō-class Fast battleship Kongō (1913–1944)Hiei (1914–1942)Kirishima (1915–1942)Haruna (1915–1945) 32,156 tonnes 8 × 14-inch Laid down and commissioned as Battlecruisers in early 20th century, remodelled into Battleships because of Washington Naval Treaty in the late 20' and into Fast Battleships in 1935, allowing them to accompany growing carrier force. All four were sunk during the war

Battleships Battleship (8)ClassPictureTypeShipsDisplacementNote Fusō-class Battleship Fusō (1915–1944)Yamashiro (1917–1944) 29,330 tonnes There was a plan to convert these ships into Aviation Battleships in 1943. The plan was cancelled and the two Ise-class battleships were converted instead. Ise-class Battleship Ise (1917–1945)Hyūga (1918–1945) 27,384 tonnes Converted into Aviation Battleship in 1943. Nagato-class Battleship Nagato (1920–1945)Mutsu (1921–1943) 32,720 tonnesBoth ships underwent significant modernization on 1934–1936, rebuilding the superstructure into the more familiar pagoda mast style. Yamato-class Battleship Yamato (1941–1945)Musashi (1942–1944) 69,988 tonnes 5 planned, 1 converted into an Aircraft carrier, 2 cancelled. Yamato was sunk during a one-way trip to Okinawa during operation Ten-Go. She never saw action there and was sunk by aircraft on the way.

Heavy cruisers

Heavy Cruiser (18)ClassPictureTypeShipsDisplacementNote Furutaka-class Heavy cruiser Furutaka (1926–1942)Kako (1926–1942) 7,100 tonnes Aoba-class Heavy cruiser Aoba (1927–1945)Kinugasa (1927–1942) 7,100 tonnes Variation of the Furutaka class Myōkō-class Heavy cruiser Myōkō (1929–1945)Nachi (1928–1944)Haguro (1929–1945)Ashigara (1929–1945) 11,633 tonnes Takao-class Heavy cruiser TakaoAtagoMayaChōkai 11,633 tonnes Variation of the Myōkō class Mogami-class Heavy cruiser MogamiMikumaSuzuyaKumano 8,500 tonnes Suzuya and Kumano were considered to be a sub-class. Mogami was considered to be an Aviation Cruiser by the IJN (1943). Tone-class Heavy cruiser ToneChikuma 11,213 tonnes Considered as Aviation Cruisers by IJN

Light cruisers Light Cruiser (26)ClassPictureTypeShipsDisplacementNote Tenryū-class Light cruiser TenryūTatsuta 3,948 tonnes Kuma-class Light cruiser KumaTamaKitakamiŌiKiso 5,500 tonnes Kitakami and Ōi later converted to a torpedo cruiser under a short-lived Imperial Japanese Navy program. Kiso was also planned to be converted but no modifications took place. Nagara-class Light cruiser NagaraIsuzuYuraNatoriKinuAbukuma 5,570 tonnes Yūbari-class Light cruiser Yūbari 2,890 tonnes An experimental light cruiser. Sendai-class Light cruiser SendaiJintsuNaka 5,195 tonnes 8 planned; 5 cancelled. Katori-class Light cruiser KatoriKashimaKashii 5,890 tonnes 4 planned; 1 cancelled. Originally served as a training ship. Agano-class Light cruiser AganoNoshiroYahagiSakawa 6,652 tonnes Ōyodo-class Light cruiser Ōyodo 8,164 tonnes 2 planned; 1 cancelled. Yasoshima-class Light cruiser YasoshimaIoshima 2,448 tonnes Served under the Republic of China Navy under the name of Ping Hai, until seized and re-floated in 1938 by IJN, having been sunk the year before. Later reporposed as Kaibōkans

Torpedo boats

List of Japanese Navy ships and war vessels in World War II

Bron en licentie