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

This List of Japanese Navy ships and war vessels in World War II is a list of seafaring vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy of World War II. It includes submarines, battleships, oilers, minelayers and other types of Japanese sea vessels of war and naval ships used during wartime. (This list is not yet complete.)

Abbreviations for units[]

Knot: kn
Horsepower: hp
Metric horsepower: ps. (1ps=0.7355 kW and 1 hp=0.7457 kW)

Midget submarines[]

"Kaiten" Type1 Suicide Attack Midget Submarine[]

Main Engine: Torpedo motor X 1
Fuel: Oxygen (196 litres)
Max Speed: 30kn
Range: 23.0 km

"Kairyu" midget submarine[]

Main Engine: Diesel (80 hp) X 1, single shaft
Fuel: Diesel oil (1,070 litres)
Max Speed: 6.5kn (surface) / 10.0kn (submerged)
Range: 724 km (at 5kn : surface) / 60 km (at 3kn : submerged)
Safety Depth: 150m (without torpedoes)

Undersea-carrier submarines[]

Modified A Type 2 "Ko-Kai 2" class (I-14)[]

Displacement: 2,620t (surface) / 4,762t (submerged)
Engine: Kanhon type 22 model 10 diesel X 2, double shaft (4,400 hp : surface)
Max Speed: 16.7kn (surface) / 5.5kn (submerged)
Range: 38,918 km (at 16kn : surface) / 111 km (at 3kn : submerged)
Submersible Depth: 100m

Type B "Otsu" class (I-15/26)[]

Displacement: 2,198t (surface) / 3,654t (submerged)
Engine: Kanhon type2 model 10 diesel X 2, double shaft (2,400 hp : surface)
Max Speed: 23.6kn (surface) / 8kn (submerged)
Fuel: 774t
Range: 25,945 km (at 16kn : surface) / 178 km (at 3kn : submerged)
Submersible Depth: 100m

Modified B Type2"Otsu-Kai 2" class (I-54)[]

Displacement: 2,140t (surface) / 3,688t (submerged)
Engine: Kanhon type22 model 10 diesel X 2, double shaft (4,700 hp : surface)
Max Speed: 17.7kn (surface) / 6.5kn (submerged)
Range: 38,918 km (at 16kn : surface) / 194.5 km (at 3kn : submerged)
Submersible Depth: 100m

Sento-Ku class (I-400/402)[]

Displacement: 3,530t (surface) / 6,560t (submerged)
Main Engine: Kanhon type 22 model 10 diesel X 4, double shaft (7,700 hp : surface)
Sub Engine: Type 6S electric motor X 2 (2,400 hp : submerged)
Max Speed: 18.7kn (surface) / 6.5kn (submerged)
Fuel: 1,750t
Range: 69,487 km (at 14kn : surface) / 111 km (at 3kn : submerged)
Submersible Depth: 100m

Submarine Depot Ships[]

Taigei class (Taigei)[]

Main Engine: All geared turbine X 2, twin shaft (14,000 hp)
Max Speed: 20kn

Tsurugizaki class (Tsurugizaki)[]

Main Engine: Diesel X 2, twin shaft (56,000 hp)
Max Speed: 29kn

Heian class (Heian)[]

Main Engine: Diesel X 1 (11,000 hp)
Max Speed: 15.0kn

Jingei class[]

Max Speed: 16.0 kn (29.6 km/h)
Range: 10,400 nmi (19,300 km)

Surface oilers and tankers[]

Shiretoko class (Shiretoko)[]

Main Engine: Direct drive turbine X 1, single shaft (3,750 hp)
Max Speed: 12.0kn

Minelayers[]

Tsugaru class (Tsugaru)[]

Main Engine: All geared turbine X 2, twin shaft (9,000 hp)
Max Speed: 20.0kn

Okinoshima class (Okinoshima)[]

Main Engine: All geared turbine X 2, twin shaft (9,000 hp)
Max Speed: 20.0kn
Range: 9,000 mile (10kn)

Seaplane Tenders[]

Chitose class (Chitose)[]

Main Engine: All geared turbine X 2, diesel X 2, twin shaft (56,800 hp)
Max Speed: 29kn

Mizuho class (Mizuho)[]

Main Engine: Diesel X 4, twin shaft (15,200 hp)
Max Speed: 22kn

Kamikawa class (Kamikawa)[]

Main Engine: Diesel X 1, single shaft (8,867 hp)
Max Speed: 19.3kn

Coastal Defense ships[]

Shimushu class (Ishigaki)[]

Main Engine: Diesel X 2, double shaft (4,200shp)
Max Speed: 19.7kn
Range: 8,000 mile (16kn)
Fuel: Oil X 120t

Etorofu class (Matsuwa)[]

Main Engine: Diesel X 2, double shaft (4,200shp)
Max Speed: 19.7kn
Range: 8,000 mile (16kn)
Fuel: Oil X 120t

Mikura class (Chiburi)[]

Main Engine: Diesel X 2, double shaft (4,200shp)
Max Speed: 19.5kn
Range: 6,000 mile (16kn)
Fuel: Oil X 120t

Ukuru class (Okinawa)[]

Main Engine: Diesel X 2, double shaft (4,200shp)
Max Speed: 19.5kn
Range: 5,754 mile (16kn)
Fuel: Oil X 120t

Aircraft Carriers[]

Hōshō class (Hōshō)[]

Main Engine: All geared turbine, two shaft (40,000 hp)
Max Speed: 25kn
Range: 8,680 km
Honsho
- Commissioned 1922
- Survived WWII, transported Japanese personnel back home after war - Scrapped 1946

Akagi class (Akagi)[]

Main Engine: All geared turbine, four shaft (131,200 hp)
Max Speed: 31.2kn
Range: 15,197 km

Kaga class (Kaga)[]

Main Engine: All geared turbine, four shaft (125,000 hp)
Max Speed: 28.3kn
Range: 18,532 km

Sōryū class (Sōryū)[]

Main Engine: All geared turbine, four shaft (152,000 hp)
Max Speed: 37.63kn
Range: 14,233 km

Hiryū class(Hiryū)[]

Main Engine: All geared turbine, four shaft (153,000 hp)
Max Speed: 34.59kn
Range: 14,214 km

Shōkaku class (Shōkaku)[]

Main Engine: All geared turbine, four shaft (160,000 hp)
Max Speed: 34.2kn
Range: 17,976 km

Shōkaku class (Zuikaku)[]

Main Engine: All geared turbine, four shaft (160,000 hp)
Max Speed: 34.2kn
Range: 17,976 km

Taiho class (Taiho)[]

Main Engine: All geared turbine, four shaft (160,000 hp)
Max Speed: 33.3kn
Range: 19,000 km

Tank Landing Ship[]

ES-Tei class[]

Displacement: 948 t
Dimensions: 63.02 x 9.60 m
Speed (max): 12.7-13.7 kn
Engine: Diesel engine 1,200ps
Loading Capacity: 630 t

Aircraft Battleships[]

Ise class (Ise)[]

Main Engine: Direct drive turbine, four shaft (80,000 hp)
Max Speed: 25.3kn
Range: 17,605 km
Originally built as battleships, and were refitted with flight deck in place of the aft armament.
Ise
Hyuga

Battleships[]

Eight total in service during hostilities

Kongō class[]

Built as Battlecruisers, later converted Battleships

Kongō - Commissioned 1913 (built in UK) - Sunk by submarine 1944
Kirishima - Commissioned 1915 - Sunk by surface combat at Guadalcanal 1942
Hiei - Commissioned 1914 - Scuttled by IJN escorts following major combat damage in Guadalcanal Campaign 1942
Haruna - Commissioned 1915 - Sunk by air attack at moorings 1945

Fusō class[]

Fusō Launch 1914 - Sunk in combat 1944
Yamashiro Launch 1915 - Sunk in combat 1944

Yamato class[]

Main Engine: All geared turbine, four shaft (153,553 hp)
Max Speed: 27.0kn
Range: 13,343 km

Musashi — commissioned August 1942, sunk by air attack October 1944
Yamato — commissioned December 1941, sunk by air attack April 1945

Nagato class[]

Commissioned: 1920—1921

Main Engine: Boilers: 16 oil + 6 coal, four Gihon geared turbines, four shafts (80,000 hp)
Max Speed: 27kn
Range: 10,200 km

Nagato - Commissioned 1920 - surrendered to USN at end of WWII - sunk as atomic weapon test target at Bikini Atoll 1946
Mutsu - Commissioned 1921 - sunk at anchor due to magazine explosion at Hashirajima Anchorage June, 1943

Heavy Cruiser[]

There were eighteen total in service.

Furutaka class[]

Furutaka - Commissioned 1926 - Sunk in combat 1942
Kako - Commissioned 1926 - Sunk in combat 1942

Aoba class[]

Aoba
Kinusaga

Myōkō class[]

Myōkō
Nachi
Haguro
Ashigara

Takao class[]

Takao
Atago
Maya
Chokai

Mogami class[]

The Mogami-class vessels were built as light cruisers with 155mm triple gun turrets but were built to be up-gunned as heavy cruisers with 200mm dual gun turrets in the same turret ring.

Mogami
Mikuma
Suzuya
Kumano

Tone class[]

Tone
Chikuma

Ibuki class[]

Ibuki - Partially or fully completed and launched as cruiser with 200mm main guns, but began conversion to aircraft carrier. Conversion not completed, vessel was surrendered at end of WWII.

Light Cruiser[]

Tenryū class[]

Tenryū
Tatsuta

Kuma class[]

Kuma
Tama
Kitakami
Ōi
Kiso

Yūbari class[]

Yūbari

Sendai class[]

Sendai
Jintsu
Naka

Nagara class[]

Nagara
Isuzu
Yura
Natori
Kinu
Abukuma