The was a class of minelayers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during and after the 1930s through World War II. Their design was based on the , but with increased armament.
Ships in class
Natsushima class Project number H5. Three vessels were planned under the Maru 1 Programme. However, the third ship, Sarushima, was used as a diesel engine experiment ship.
24 December 1931: Laid down at Tōkyō Ishikawajima Zōsen. 24 March 1933: Launched. 31 July 1933: Completed. In 1934: Rebuilding after the Tomozuru Incident. In 1938: Sortie for the Second Sino-Japanese War. 1941-1943: Sortie for the naval mine laying at Japan Mainland. 10 December 1943: Dispatched to southeast area. 22 February 1944: Sunk by USS Stanly, USS Charles Ausburne and USS Dyson off Kavieng . 30 April 1944: Removed from naval ship list.
19 January 1933: Laid down at Harima Zōsen. 26 March 1934: Launched. 20 September 1934: Completed. In 1938: Sortie for the Second Sino-Japanese War. 1941-1943: Sortie for the naval mine laying at Japan Mainland and convoy escort operations at East China Sea. 31 December 1943: Dispatched to southeast area. 1 April 1944: Sunk by air raid at Rabaul. 10 April 1944: Removed from naval ship list.
Sarushima class Project number H5B. She was built as diesel engine experiment ship. Her results were made use of in the .
28 March 1933: Laid down at Mitsubishi, Yokohama shipyard. 16 December 1933: Launched. 20 July 1934: Completed. In 1938: Sortie for the Second Sino-Japanese War. 1941-1944: Sortie for the naval mine laying and convoy escort operations at Japan Mainland. 4 July 1944: Sunk by air raid off Otōto-jima. 10 September 1944: Removed from naval ship list.
Photos
Bibliography Ships of the World special issue Vol.45, "Escort Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy", , (Tokyo, Japan), 1996. The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.47, "Japanese naval mine warfare crafts", (Tokyo, Japan), 1981.