Misplaced Pages

#42957

126-553: The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) acquired its first submarines during the Russo-Japanese War on 12 December 1904 where they arrived in sections at the Yokohama dockyards. The vessels were purchased from the relatively new American company, Electric Boat , and were fully assembled and ready for combat operations by August 1905. However, hostilities with Russia were nearing its end by that date, and no submarines saw action during

252-577: A 500-ton galleon -type ship that transported the Japanese embassy of Hasekura Tsunenaga to the Americas, which then continued to Europe. From 1604 the Bakufu also commissioned about 350 Red seal ships , usually armed and incorporating some Western technologies, mainly for Southeast Asian trade. For more than 200 years, beginning in the 1640s, the Japanese policy of seclusion (" sakoku ") forbade contacts with

378-526: A Chinese naval force near Korean island of Pungdo , damaging a cruiser, sinking a loaded transport, capturing one gunboat and destroying another. This battle occurred before war was officially declared on 1 August 1894. On 10 August, the Japanese ventured into the Yellow Sea to seek out the Beiyang Fleet, and subsequently bombarded both Weihaiwei and Port Arthur. Finding only small vessels in both harbors,

504-623: A ban on Wakō piracy; the pirates then became vassals of Hideyoshi, and comprised the naval force used in the Japanese invasion of Korea (1592–1598) . Japan built her first large ocean-going warships in the beginning of the 17th century, following contacts with the Western nations during the Nanban trade period . In 1613, the daimyō of Sendai , in agreement with the Tokugawa Bakufu , built Date Maru ,

630-521: A cauldron in Ningbo . Japan undertook major naval building efforts in the 16th century, during the Warring States period when feudal rulers vying for supremacy built vast coastal navies of several hundred ships. Around that time Japan may have developed one of the first ironclad warships when Oda Nobunaga , a daimyō , had six iron-covered Oatakebune made in 1576. In 1588 Toyotomi Hideyoshi issued

756-526: A combination of heavily armed large warships, with smaller and more innovative offensive units permitting aggressive tactics. As a result of the conflict, under the Treaty of Shimonoseki (April 17, 1895), Taiwan and the Pescadores Islands were transferred to Japan. The Imperial Japanese Navy took possession of the island and quelled opposition movements between March and October 1895. Japan also obtained

882-710: A crew of up to 94 officers and enlisted. They also had a long cruising range at a speed of 12 knots (22 km/h). The Japanese constructed only three of these during World War II ( I-52 , I-53 and I-55 ), although twenty were planned. They were among the largest submarines ever built to date, and were known as the most advanced submarines of the period. I-53 was converted to carry kaiten manned suicide attack torpedoes . The Type D ( (潜)丁型 , (Submarine) Type D ) or Sen'yu(-Dai) type ( 潜輸(大)型 , Transport submarine (large) type ) ( I-361 -class) and Sen'yu Modified type ( 潜輸改 , Transport submarine Modified ) ( I-372 -class) submarines were based on

1008-636: A decisive encounter at sea, the Japanese decided to send more troops to Korea. Early in September, the Japanese navy was directed to initiate further landings and to support the army on Korea's western coast. As Japanese ground forces moved north to attack Pyongyang, Admiral Ito correctly guessed that the Chinese would attempt to reinforce their army in Korea by sea. On 14 September, the Combined Fleet sailed north to search

1134-407: A document to the daijō-kan titled "Opinions Regarding Naval Expansion" asserting that a strong navy was essential to maintaining the security of Japan. In furthering his argument, Iwakura suggested that domestic rebellions were no longer Japan's primary military concern and that naval affairs should take precedence over army concerns; a strong navy was more important than a sizable army to preserve

1260-549: A draw, and neither side gained decisive control of the sea, army units in Korea would concentrate on maintaining preexisting positions. Lastly, if the Combined Fleet was defeated and consequently lost command of the sea, the bulk of the army would remain in Japan and prepare to repel a Chinese invasion, while the Fifth Division in Korea would be ordered to dig in and fight a rearguard action. A Japanese squadron intercepted and defeated

1386-457: A figure-eight hull shape for additional strength to handle the on-deck hangar for housing the three Seiran aircraft. In addition, they had four anti-aircraft guns, a large deck gun as well as eight torpedo tubes from which they could fire the 21-inch (533 mm) Type 95 torpedo . Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy ( IJN ; Kyūjitai : 大日本帝國海軍 Shinjitai : 大日本帝国海軍 Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kaigun 'Navy of

SECTION 10

#1733085835043

1512-521: A force of at least six large battleships, supplemented by four armored cruisers of at least 7,000 tons. The centerpiece of this expansion was to be the acquisition of four new battleships, in addition to two that were already being completed in Britain as part of an earlier construction program. Yamamoto was also advocated the construction of a balanced fleet. Ha-1-class submarine The Ha-1 -class submarine ( 波一型潜水艦 , Ha-ichi-gata sensuikan )

1638-458: A forest near present-day Brookings , Oregon . Several of these ships also undertook "Yanagi" missions to Europe ( I-30 , I-34 , I-29 ). The Type B Modified 1 or Junsen Type B Modified 1 type ( 乙型改一 or 巡潜乙型改一 , (Cruiser submarine) Type B Modified 1 ) ( I-40 -class) submarines were externally similar to the Type B1, but with a high-tensile strength steel hull and diesel engines of

1764-583: A large part because of Satsuma power, influence, and patronage. Between 19 August and 23 November 1882, Satsuma forces with Iwakura's leadership, worked tirelessly to secure support for the Navy's expansion plan. After uniting the other Satsuma members of the Dajokan, Iwakura approached the emperor the Meiji emperor arguing persuasively just as he did with the Dajokan, that naval expansion was critical to Japan's security and that

1890-486: A lesser naval power) would dispatch a portion of its fleet against Japan. Yamamoto therefore calculated that four battleships would be the most likely strength of any seagoing force that a major power could divert from their other naval commitments to use against Japan, and he also believed that two more battleships might be contributed to such a naval expedition by a lesser hostile power. In order to achieve victory in such an engagement, Yamamoto theorized that Japan should have

2016-732: A military force to defeat the rebels, culminating with the Naval Battle of Hakodate in May 1869. The Imperial side took delivery (February 1869) of the French-built ironclad Kotetsu (originally ordered by the Tokugawa shogunate) and used it decisively towards the end of the conflict. In February 1868 the Imperial government had placed all captured shogunate naval vessels under the Navy Army affairs section. In

2142-668: A minimal role transporting troops from western to eastern Japan. Only the Battle of Awa (28 January 1868) was significant; this also proved one of the few Tokugawa successes in the war. Tokugawa Yoshinobu eventually surrendered after the fall of Edo in July 1868, and as a result most of Japan accepted the emperor's rule, however resistance continued in the North . On 26 March 1868 the first naval review in Japan took place in Osaka Bay , with six ships from

2268-606: A modern fleet, so that by 1885 cost overruns had jeopardized the entire 1883 plan. Furthermore, increased costs coupled with decreased domestic tax revenues, heightened concern and political tension in Japan regarding funding naval expansion. In 1883, two large warships were ordered from British shipyards. The Naniwa and Takachiho were 3,650 ton ships. They were capable of speeds up to 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph) and were armed with 54 to 76 mm (2 to 3 in) deck armor and two 260 mm (10 in) Krupp guns. The naval architect Sasō Sachū designed these on

2394-410: A modified version directly from Holland, and built two boats (Hulls No. 6 and 7), with the help of two American engineers, Chase and Herbert, who had been assistants to Holland. The Kawasaki-type submarines displaced 63 and 95 tons when submerged, and measured 73 and 84 feet (22 and 26 m) in overall length , respectively. both vessels measured 7 feet (2.1 m) at the beam . This contrasted with

2520-416: A number of notable successes against American warships, however. During the Battle of Midway , I-168 administered the final coup de grace that sank the fleet carrier USS  Yorktown , as well as sinking the destroyer USS  Hammann . A few months later, on September 15, 1942, with a single salvo of torpedoes, Japanese submarine I-19 sank the fleet carrier USS  Wasp and damaged both

2646-499: A peak of activity during the 16th and 17th centuries at a time of cultural exchange with European powers during the Age of Discovery . After two centuries of stagnation during the country's ensuing seclusion policy under the shōgun of the Edo period , Japan's navy was comparatively antiquated when the country was forced open to trade by American intervention in 1854. This eventually led to

SECTION 20

#1733085835043

2772-485: A result tensions began to rise between the two countries over competing interests in Korea. The Japanese naval leadership was generally cautious and even apprehensive at the prospect of hostilities with China, as the navy had not yet received several modern warships that had been ordered in February 1893, particularly the battleships Fuji and Yashima and the cruiser Akashi . Hence, initiating hostilities at this time

2898-725: A simpler design. In 1944, I-44 was modified as a Kaiten suicide torpedo carrier, armed with six kaitens . Eighteen of the twenty-one Type B Modified 2 or Junsen Type B Modified 2 type ( 乙型改二 or 巡潜乙型改二 , (Cruiser submarine) Type B Modified 2 ) ( I-54 -class) submarines were cancelled in 1943 in favor of the Type E submarine, leaving the I-54 , I-56 , and I-58 . In 1944, I-56 and I-58 were modified as Kaiten suicide torpedo carriers, each armed with four kaitens . The Type C or Junsen C type ( 丙型 or 巡潜丙型 , (Cruiser submarine) Type C ) ( I-16 -class) submarines were based on

3024-466: A single hypothetical enemy individually, but also to confront any fleet from two combined powers that might be dispatched against Japan from overseas waters. He assumed that given their conflicting global interests, it was highly unlikely that the United Kingdom and Russia would ever join together in a war against Japan, instead considering it more likely that a major power like Russia (in alliance with

3150-422: A single powerful main gun, the 320 mm (13 in) Canet gun . Altogether, Bertin supervised the building of more than 20 units. They helped establish the first true modern naval force of Japan. It allowed Japan to achieve mastery in the building of large units, since some of the ships were imported, and some others were built domestically at the arsenal of Yokosuka: This period also allowed Japan "to embrace

3276-574: A slightly improved operating depth. The Junsen I type ( 巡潜I型 , Cruiser submarine Type I ) ( I-1 -class) submarines were based on the Kaidai II (Type KD2) and German submarine U-142 . The Junsen I Modified type ( 巡潜I型改 , Cruiser submarine Type I Modified ) ( I-5 -class) submarine was similar to the Type J1, but with facilities for one aircraft. The Junsen II type ( 巡潜II型 , Cruiser submarine Type II ) ( I-6 -class) submarine

3402-460: A supportive role to drive an invading enemy from the coast. The resulting military organization followed the Rikushu Kaijū (Army first, Navy second) principle. This meant a defense designed to repel an enemy from Japanese territory, and the chief responsibility for that mission rested upon Japan's army; consequently, the army gained the bulk of the military expenditures. During the 1870s and 1880s,

3528-514: A ten percent reserve of buoyancy over their surface displacement, The Ha-1 class were poor surface vessels, but their spindle shaped hull made for good underwater performance compared to their contemporaries. They also had three times the displacement of their predecessors in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and were the first submarines considered usable as combat vessels by the Japanese. The British C-class submarines were similar in design to

3654-458: A thirty-four-man British naval mission, headed by Lt. Comdr. Archibald Douglas , arrived in Japan. Douglas directed instruction at the Naval Academy at Tsukiji for several years, the mission remained in Japan until 1879, substantially advancing the development of the navy and firmly establishing British traditions within the Japanese navy from matters of seamanship to the style of its uniforms and

3780-456: A time when the US Navy could ill afford to do without her. Saratoga was torpedoed by submarine I-6 on January 11, 1942, putting her out of action and unavailable to participate in the desperate carrier battles and raids of the next five months, and then hit again three months after her return on September 1, 1942, by I-26 , which put her out of action for another eleven weeks in the middle of

3906-484: A total of 50) and delivered the largest contingent of troops among the intervening nations (20,840 Imperial Japanese Army and Navy soldiers, out of a total of 54,000). The conflict allowed Japan to engage in combat alongside Western nations and to acquire first-hand understanding of their fighting methods. Following the war against China, Japan was pressured into renouncing its claim to the Liaodong Peninsula in

Submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy - Misplaced Pages Continue

4032-472: The U-155 . This type was designed as transport submarines with torpedoes for self-defense. Five of the submarines — I-361 , I-363 , I-366 , I-367 , and I-370 — were later modified to serve as kaiten suicide attack torpedo carriers, each armed with five kaitens . The Type D Modified ( (潜)丁型改 , (Submarine) Type D Modified ) ( I-373 -class) submarine was designed as a tanker submarine based on

4158-526: The 1860 Japanese delegation to the United States . In 1865 the French naval engineer Léonce Verny was hired to build Japan's first modern naval arsenals, at Yokosuka and Nagasaki . The shogunate also allowed and then ordered various domains to purchase warships and to develop naval fleets, Satsuma , especially, had petitioned the shogunate to build modern naval vessels. A naval center had been set up by

4284-493: The First World War , and their submarine successes reinforced Japan's willingness to develop this weapon, resulting in eighteen ocean-going submarines being included in its 1917 expansion program. Japan received nine German submarines as World War I reparations , which allowed her and the other Allies to accelerate their technological developments during the interwar period. Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) submarines formed by far

4410-655: The Junsen type submarine and developed from the Type KD6. This type, like the other Type C submarines, was utilized as mother ships for the Kō-hyōteki midget submarines and the Kaiten suicide torpedoes. The Type C or Junsen C type latter batch ( 丙型 or 巡潜丙型 (後期型) , (Cruiser submarine) Type C (latter batch) ) ( I-46 -subclass) submarines were nearly identical to the Type C1 with

4536-683: The Kure Naval Arsenal . These became respectively the Japanese Ha-1 -class and Ha-3 -class submarines. An additional two vessels, forming the Ha-7 class were later built by the Kure Naval Arsenal. In 1909, the first submarine tender , Karasaki , was commissioned. Japan, along with the rest of the Allies , drew heavily upon Germany's Guerre de Course ( commerce raiding ) operations during

4662-588: The Liaodong Peninsula , although was later forced by Russia, Germany and France to return it to China ( Triple Intervention ), only for Russia take possession of it soon after. The Imperial Japanese Navy further intervened in China in 1900 by participating, together with Western Powers, in the suppression of the Chinese Boxer Rebellion . The Japanese navy supplied the largest number of warships (18 out of

4788-648: The Meiji Restoration . Accompanying the re-ascendance of the Emperor came a period of frantic modernization and industrialization . The IJN saw several successes in combat during the early twentieth century, sometimes against much more powerful enemies, such as in the Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War , before being largely destroyed in World War II. Japan has a long history of naval interaction with

4914-753: The Royal Navy and the United States Navy (USN). It was supported by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service for aircraft and airstrike operations from the fleet. It was the primary opponent of the Western Allies in the Pacific War . The origins of the Imperial Japanese Navy date back to early interactions with nations on the Asian continent , beginning in the early feudal period and reaching

5040-530: The Saga Rebellion (1874) and especially the Satsuma Rebellion (1877), forced the government to focus on land warfare, and the army gained prominence. Naval policy, as expressed by the slogan Shusei Kokubō (literally: "Static Defense"), focused on coastal defenses, on a standing army (established with the assistance of the second French Military Mission to Japan ), and a coastal navy that could act in

5166-580: The Second Sino-Japanese War and the first half of World War II, modified to add seaplane refueling to their capabilities, but surviving units were relegated to training duties in September 1943 due to their growing obsolescence. The Senho type ( 潜補型 , Submarine tanker ) ( I-351 -class) was a tanker/transport submarine. The Sentoku type ( 潜特型 , Special type submarine ) ( I-400 -class) displaced 5,223 tons surfaced and measured 400 ft 3 in (122.00 m) overall. They had

Submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy - Misplaced Pages Continue

5292-634: The Yokosuka Naval Arsenal , which was then Japan's largest naval shipyard, to become Hulls No. 1 through 5 and were designated Type 1 submarines by the Japanese Navy. Frank Cable , an electrician who was working for Isaac Rice's Electro-Dynamic and Storage Companies along with Rice's Electric Boat, arrived some six months after Busch, training the IJN in the operation of the newly introduced vessels. In 1904 Kawasaki Dockyard Company purchased plans for

5418-460: The 1854 Convention of Kanagawa led to the opening of Japan to international trade and interaction. This was soon followed by the 1858 Treaty of Amity and Commerce and treaties with other powers . As soon as Japan opened up to foreign influences, the Tokugawa shogunate recognized the vulnerability of the country from the sea and initiated an active policy of assimilation and adoption of Western naval technologies. In 1855, with Dutch assistance,

5544-631: The Americans and the Australians and which could not be reached by surface transports because of blockade by Allied warplanes and naval vessels. Early models of IJN submarines were relatively less maneuverable under water, could not dive very deeply, and lacked radar . (Later in the war units that were fitted with radar were in some instances sunk due to the ability of American radar sets to detect their emissions. For example, USS  Batfish sank three such IJN submarines near Japan in just four days). After

5670-629: The Asian continent, involving transportation of troops between Korea and Japan, starting at least with the beginning of the Kofun period in the 3rd century. Following the attempts at Mongol invasions of Japan by Kubilai Khan in 1274 and 1281, Japanese wakō became very active in plundering the coast of China . In response to threats of Chinese invasion of Japan, in 1405 the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu capitulated to Chinese demands and sent twenty captured Japanese pirates to China, where they were boiled in

5796-524: The Boshin War. Enomoto Takeaki, the admiral of the shōgun ' s navy, refused to surrender all his ships, remitting just four vessels, and escaped to northern Honshū with the remnants of the shōgun ' s navy: eight steam warships and 2,000 men. Following the defeat of pro-shogunate resistance on Honshū, Admiral Enomoto Takeaki fled to Hokkaidō , where he established the breakaway Republic of Ezo (27 January 1869). The new Meiji government dispatched

5922-461: The Combined Fleet returned to Korea to support further landings off the Chinese coast. The Beiyang Fleet, under the command of Admiral Ding, was initially ordered to remain close to the Chinese coast while reinforcements were sent to Korea by land. However, as Japanese troops swiftly advanced northward from Seoul to Pyongyang, the Chinese decided to rush troops to Korea by sea under a naval escort in mid-September. Concurrently, because there not yet been

6048-472: The Dutch flag. Frictions with the foreign ships, however, started from the beginning of the 19th century. The Nagasaki Harbour Incident involving HMS  Phaeton in 1808, and other subsequent incidents in the following decades, led the shogunate to enact an Edict to Repel Foreign Vessels . Western ships, which were increasing their presence around Japan due to whaling and the trade with China, began to challenge

6174-524: The French during the Boshin War. Also, Japan was uneasy with being dependent on Great Britain, at a time when Great Britain was very close to China. The Meiji government issued its First Naval Expansion bill in 1882, requiring the construction of 48 warships, of which 22 were to be torpedo boats. The naval successes of the French Navy against China in the Sino-French War of 1883–85 seemed to validate

6300-519: The Greater Japanese Empire', or 日本海軍 Nippon Kaigun , 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender in World War II . The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) was formed between 1952 and 1954 after the dissolution of the IJN. The Imperial Japanese Navy was the third largest navy in the world by 1920, behind

6426-532: The Holland design with 13 vessels in its A class , 11 vessels in its B class and 38 vessels in its C class . The Japanese government contracted Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness for two vessels, which were laid down just after HMS  C32 towards the end of the C-class production run for the Royal Navy . The completed vessels were shipped to Japan on a specially modified cargo vessel. With limited endurance and only

SECTION 50

#1733085835043

6552-517: The Imperial Japanese Navy remained an essentially coastal-defense force, although the Meiji government continued to modernize it. Jo Sho Maru (soon renamed Ryūjō Maru ) commissioned by Thomas Glover was launched at Aberdeen , Scotland on 27 March 1869. In 1870 an Imperial decree determined that Britain's Royal Navy should serve as the model for development, instead of the Netherlands navy. In 1873

6678-508: The Japanese judged that a protracted war with China would increase the risk of intervention by the European powers with interests in East Asia. The army's Fifth Division would land at Chemulpo on the western coast of Korea, both to engage and push Chinese forces northwest up the peninsula and to draw the Beiyang Fleet into the Yellow Sea, where it would be engaged in decisive battle. Depending upon

6804-494: The Japanese political and military leadership, and Japan began to build up its military strength in preparation for future confrontations. The political capital and public support that the navy gained as a result of the recent conflict with China also encouraged popular and legislative support for naval expansion. In 1895, Yamamoto Gombei was assigned to compose a study of Japan's future naval needs. He believed that Japan should have sufficient naval strength to not only deal with

6930-442: The Japanese state. Furthermore, he justified that a large, modern navy, would have the added potential benefit of instilling Japan with greater international prestige and recognition, as navies were internationally recognized hallmarks of power and status. Iwakura also suggested that the Meiji government could support naval growth by increasing taxes on tobacco, sake, and soy. After lengthy discussions, Iwakura eventually convinced

7056-546: The Japanese surrender , at a time when few in the United States Navy expected continued Japanese submarine attacks. The Imperial Japanese Navy's doctrine of fleet warfare ( guerre d'escadre ) resulted in its submarines seldom posing a threat to allied merchant convoys and shipping lanes to the degree that the Kriegsmarine's U-boats did as they pursued commerce raiding against Allied and neutral merchant ships . During

7182-419: The KD5 but with a higher speed. The Kaidai VIb type ( 海大VIb型 , Navy large type VIb ) ( I-174 -class) submarines were similar to the KD6a but were one foot longer and 25 tons heavier. The Kaidai VII type ( 海大VII型 , Navy large type VII ) or Shin Kaidai type ( 新海大型 , New navy large type ) ( I-176 -class) submarines were similar to the KD6 but with the torpedo tubes moved forward and

7308-427: The Korean and Chinese coasts and bring the Beiyang Fleet to battle. On 17 September 1894, the Japanese encountered the Beiyang Fleet off the mouth of the Yalu River . The Beiyang Fleet was crippled during the ensuing battle , in which the Chinese lost eight out of 12 warships. The Chinese subsequently withdrew behind the Weihaiwei fortifications. However, they were then surprised by Japanese troops, who had outflanked

7434-413: The Ministry of War was replaced by a separate Army Ministry and Navy Ministry. In October 1873, Katsu Kaishū became Navy Minister. After the consolidation of the government the new Meiji state set about to build up national strength. The Meiji government honored the treaties with the Western powers signed during the Bakumatsu period with the ultimate goal of revising them, leading to a subsided threat from

7560-412: The Russian-led Triple Intervention. The Japanese were well aware that they could not compete with the overwhelming naval power possessed by the three countries in East Asian waters, particularly Russia. Faced with little choice, the Japanese ceded the peninsula back to China for an additional 30 million taels (roughly ¥45 million). The cession of the Liaodong Peninsula was seen as a humiliation by

7686-468: The Satsuma domain in Kagoshima, students were sent abroad for training and a number of ships were acquired. The domains of Chōshū , Hizen , Tosa and Kaga joined Satsuma in acquiring ships. These naval elements proved insufficient during the Royal Navy 's Bombardment of Kagoshima in 1863 and the Allied bombardments of Shimonoseki in 1863–64. By the mid-1860s the shogunate had a fleet of eight warships and thirty-six auxiliaries. Satsuma (which had

SECTION 60

#1733085835043

7812-710: The Sentoku I-400 -class ). They were also equipped with the advanced oxygen-fuelled Type 95 Torpedo (which are sometimes confused with the famed Type 93 Long Lance torpedo). Overall, despite their advanced technical innovation, Japanese submarines were built in relatively small numbers, and had less effect on the war than those of the other major navies. The IJN pursued the doctrine of guerre d'escadre (fleet vs fleet warfare), and consequently submarines were often used in offensive roles against warships. Warships were more difficult to attack and sink than merchant ships, however, because naval vessels were faster, more maneuverable, and better defended. The IJN submarine arm did have

7938-412: The Type D1 but with no torpedoes. The Kiraisen type ( 機雷潜型 , Minelaying submarine ) ( I-121 -class), the only Japanese minelayer submarines, were near-copies of the World War I German minelayer submarine UB-125 . Originally numbered I-21 , I-22 , I-23 , and I-24 , they were renumbered I-121 , I-122 , I-123 , and I-124 , respectively, in 1938. This type saw front-line service during

8064-524: The Type KD3a but were 16 inches longer and had a different bow shape. The Kaidai IV type ( 海大IV型 , Navy large type IV ) ( I-61 / I-162 -class) submarines were slightly smaller and had four torpedo tubes, but were otherwise similar to the Type KD3. The Kaidai V type ( 海大V型 , Navy large type V ) ( I-165 -class) submarines were similar to the Type KD4 but had an improved operating depth. The Kaidai VIa type ( 海大VIa型 , Navy large type VIa ) ( I-168 -class) submarines were similar to

8190-472: The United States was able to increase its production of destroyers and destroyer escorts , as well as bringing over highly effective anti-submarine techniques learned during the Battle of the Atlantic , they continually took more and more of a toll on Imperial Japanese submarines, which also tended to be not as deeply diving as their Kriegsmarine counterparts. Accordingly, the Japanese submarine arm had few notable successes against Allied warships during

8316-433: The Western technological and scientific revolution which allowed Japan to remain aware of naval sciences, such as cartography , optics and mechanical sciences. Seclusion, however, led to the loss of any naval and maritime traditions the nation possessed. Apart from Dutch trade ships, no other Western vessels were allowed to enter Japanese ports. A notable exception was during the Napoleonic wars when neutral ships flew

8442-401: The army and saw naval strength as paramount. In 1870 the new government drafted an ambitious plan to develop a navy with 200 ships organized into ten fleets. The plan was abandoned within a year due to lack of resources. Financial considerations were a major factor restricting the growth of the navy during the 1870s. Japan at the time was not a wealthy state. Soon, however, domestic rebellions,

8568-424: The attitudes of its officers. From September 1870, the English Lieutenant Horse, a former gunnery instructor for the Saga fief during the Bakumatsu period, was put in charge of gunnery practice on board the Ryūjō . In 1871, the ministry resolved to send 16 trainees abroad for training in naval sciences (14 to Great Britain, two to the United States), among whom was Heihachirō Tōgō. In 1879, Commander L. P. Willan

8694-410: The battleship USS  North Carolina and the destroyer USS  O'Brien . On November 13, 1942, the submarine I-26 torpedoed and sank the anti-aircraft cruiser USS  Juneau , and a year later on November 23, 1943, the submarine I-175 torpedoed and sank the escort carrier USS  Liscome Bay , both with heavy loss of life. The I-176 had the distinction of both severely damaging

8820-419: The capability to carry seaplanes. Most IJN submarine aircraft carriers could carry only one aircraft, but I-14 had hangar space for two, and the giant I-400 class , three. Yanagi missions were enabled under the Axis Powers' Tripartite Pact to provide for an exchange of strategic materials and manufactured goods between Germany, Italy and Japan. Initially, cargo ships made the exchanges, but when this

8946-403: The carrier and sank her, the remainder damaging the battleship USS  North Carolina and the destroyer USS  O'Brien (which sank later); I-25 conducted the only aerial bombing to occur on the continental United States during World War II. On 9 September 1942, I-25 launched its reconnaissance plane, a Yokosuka E14Y code named Glen which proceeded to drop four 168 pound bombs in

9072-430: The class ship. These were fast, very long ranged, and carried a single Yokosuka E14Y seaplane, located in a hangar in front of the conning tower, launched by a catapult. The series was rather successful, especially at the beginning of the war. I-26 , in 1942, crippled the aircraft carrier USS  Saratoga . I-19 , on 15 September 1942, fired six torpedoes at aircraft carrier USS  Wasp , three of which hit

9198-455: The crew and they were forced to improvise while at sea. In recognition of this issue, the crew's endurance was only expected to be four days during the summer and three days during the winter. The C-class submarines had a single 16-cylinder petrol engine that had a designed output of 600 horsepower (450 kW) and drove a single propeller . This engine was developed by Vickers from the 450-horsepower (340 kW) Wolseley engine used in

9324-550: The dispatch of a large force of the Imperial Japanese Navy. As a result, the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1876 was signed, marking the official opening of Korea to foreign trade, and Japan's first example of Western-style interventionism and adoption of "unequal treaties" tactics. In 1878, the Japanese cruiser Seiki sailed to Europe with an entirely Japanese crew. After the Imo Incident in July 1882, Iwakura Tomomi submitted

9450-435: The domains had returned their lands and population registers to the government. In 1871 the domains were abolished altogether and as with the political context the centralization of the navy began with the domains donating their forces to the central government. As a result, in 1871 Japan could finally boast a centrally controlled navy, this was also the institutional beginning of the Imperial Japanese Navy. In February 1872,

9576-465: The early phase of the Boshin War of 1868–1869. All other naval vessels remained under the control of the various domains which had been acquired during the Bakumatsu period. The naval forces mirrored the political environment of Japan at the time: the domains retained their political as well as military independence from the Imperial government. Katsu Kaishū a former Tokugawa navy leader, was brought into

9702-562: The end of the conflict, several of Japan's most innovative and advanced submarines were sent to Hawaii for inspection in "Operation Road's End" ( I-400 , I-401 , I-201 , and I-203 ) before being scuttled by the U.S. Navy in 1946 when the Soviet Union demanded access to the IJN submarines. The Japanese applied the concept of the "submarine aircraft carrier" extensively, starting with the J3 type of 1937–38. Altogether 41 submarines were built with

9828-610: The exception that the Type C2 lacked the capability to carry the midget submarines. I-47 and I-48 were converted to carry kaiten manned suicide attack torpedoes . The Type C Modified or Junsen Type C Modified type ( 丙型改 or 巡潜丙型改 , (Cruiser submarine) Type C Modified ) submarines ( I-52 -class) were submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy , designed and built by Mitsubishi Corporation, between 1943 and 1944, as cargo carriers. They were quite long and carried

9954-616: The final two years of the war. One victory was the I-41 knocking the anti-aircraft cruiser USS  Reno out for the rest of the war with a torpedo hit on November 3, 1944 (this was the first time in almost two years that a Japanese submarine had successfully attacked an Allied ship operating with a fast carrier task force). A more famous incident was the I-58 torpedoing and sinking heavy cruiser USS  Indianapolis , with heavy loss of life. The sinking occurred on July 30, 1945, just two weeks before

10080-476: The following months, military forces of the government came under the control of several organizations which were established and then disbanded until the establishment of the Ministry of War and of the Ministry of the Navy of Japan in 1872. For the first two years (1868–1870) of the Meiji state no national, centrally controlled navy existed, – the Meiji government only administered those Tokugawa vessels captured in

10206-447: The government as Vice Minister of the Navy in 1872, and became the first Minister of the Navy from 1873 until 1878 because of his naval experience and his ability to control Tokugawa personnel who retained positions in the government naval forces. Upon assuming office Katsu Kaishu recommended the rapid centralization of all naval forces – government and domain – under one agency. The nascent Meiji government in its first years did not have

10332-449: The harbor's defenses in coordination with the navy. The remnants of the Beiyang Fleet were destroyed at Weihaiwei . Although Japan had emerged victorious at sea, the two large German-made Chinese ironclad battleships ( Dingyuan and Zhenyuan ) had remained almost impervious to Japanese guns, highlighting the need for bigger capital ships in the Imperial Japanese Navy. The next step of the Imperial Japanese Navy's expansion would thus involve

10458-416: The heavy cruiser USS  Chester , knocking her out of the war for a year, on October 20, 1942, and of also sinking USS  Corvina (the only American submarine to be sunk by a Japanese submarine in the entire war) on November 16, 1943. Twice in the first year of the war, Japanese submarines torpedoed the aircraft carrier USS  Saratoga , and, while not sinking her, put her in the repair yard at

10584-555: The imported Holland-type submarines could fire two torpedoes and could be operated by 13 sailors. This new type was designated the Type 6 submarine by the Imperial Japanese Navy, and was used primarily for test purposes. The Kaigun Holland #6 was launched at Kobe on 28 September 1905 and was completed six months later at Kure as the first submarine built in Japan. It sank during a training dive in Hiroshima Bay on 15 April 1910. Although

10710-472: The intensely engaged land-air-sea battles of the Guadalcanal Campaign . A plane launched from one of the innovative aircraft-carrying submarines, I-25 , conducted what remains the only ever aerial bombing attack on the continental United States, when Warrant Flying Officer Nobuo Fujita piloting a Yokosuka E14Y scouting plane dropped four 168-pound bombs in an attempt to start forest fires outside

10836-528: The largest domain fleet) had nine steamships, Choshu had five ships plus numerous auxiliary craft, Kaga had ten ships and Chikuzen eight. Numerous smaller domains also had acquired a number of ships. However, these fleets resembled maritime organizations rather than actual navies with ships functioning as transports as well as combat vessels; they were also manned by personnel who lacked experienced seamanship except for coastal sailing and who had virtually no combat training. The Meiji Restoration in 1868 led to

10962-457: The line of the Elswick class of protected cruisers but with superior specifications. An arms race was taking place with China however, who equipped herself with two 7,335 ton German-built battleships ( Ting Yüan and Chen-Yüan ). Unable to confront the Chinese fleet with only two modern cruisers, Japan resorted to French assistance to build a large, modern fleet which could prevail in

11088-478: The most powerful domains as the government did not have enough naval power to put down the rebellion on its own. Although the rebel forces in Hokkaidō surrendered, the government's response to the rebellion demonstrated the need for a strong centralized naval force. Even before the rebellion the restoration leaders had realized the need for greater political, economic and military centralization and by August 1869 most of

11214-548: The most varied fleet of submarines of World War II , including manned torpedoes ( Kaiten ), midget submarines ( Kō-hyōteki , Kairyū ), medium-range submarines, purpose-built supply submarines (many used by the Imperial Japanese Army , see Type 3 ), fleet submarines (many of which carried an aircraft), submarines with the highest submerged speeds of the conflict ( Sentaka I-201 -class ), and submarines able to carry multiple bombers (World War II's largest submarine,

11340-409: The navy secured the ¥6.5 million required annually to support an eight-year expansion plan, this was the largest that the Imperial Japanese Navy had secured in its young existence. However, naval expansion remained a highly contentious issue for both the government and the navy throughout much of the 1880s. Overseas advances in naval technology increased the costs of purchasing large components of

11466-456: The necessary political and military force to implement such a policy and so, like much of the government, the naval forces retained a decentralized structure in most of 1869 through 1870. The incident involving Enomoto Takeaki's refusal to surrender and his escape to Hokkaidō with a large part of the former Tokugawa Navy's best warships embarrassed the Meiji government politically. The imperial side had to rely on considerable naval assistance from

11592-600: The order of a revolutionary torpedo boat, Kotaka , which was considered the first effective design of a destroyer, in 1887 and with the purchase of Yoshino , built at the Armstrong works in Elswick , Newcastle upon Tyne , the fastest cruiser in the world at the time of her launch in 1892. In 1889, she ordered the Clyde-built Chiyoda , which defined the type for armored cruisers . Between 1882 and 1918, ending with

11718-411: The original five imported Hollands-type submarines which had arrived that same year, at over 100 tons submerged, 67 feet (20 m) in overall length and 11 feet (3.4 m) beam. The Kawasaki Type #6 and #7 submarines had gained extra speed and reduced fuel consumption by 1 ⁄ 4 . However both boats could launch only one 18-inch (460 mm) torpedo , and each was manned by 14 sailors, whereas

11844-451: The outcome of this engagement, Japanese decisionmakers anticipated that they would be faced with one of three choices. If the Combined Fleet were to win decisively at sea, the larger part of the Japanese army could immediately land in force on the Korean coast between Shanhaiguan and Tianjin in order to defeat the Chinese army and bring the war to a swift conclusion. If the naval engagement was

11970-516: The outside world and prohibited the construction of ocean-going ships on pain of death. Contacts were maintained, however, with the Dutch through the port of Nagasaki , the Chinese also through Nagasaki and the Ryukyus and Korea through intermediaries with Tsushima. The study of Western sciences, called " rangaku " through the Dutch enclave of Dejima in Nagasaki led to the transfer of knowledge related to

12096-462: The overthrow of the shogunate. From 1868, the newly formed Meiji government continued with reforms to centralize and modernize Japan. Although the Meiji reformers had overthrown the Tokugawa shogunate, tensions between the former ruler and the restoration leaders led to the Boshin War (January 1868 to June 1869). The early part of the conflict largely involved land battles, with naval forces playing

12222-497: The potential of torpedo boats, an approach which was also attractive to the limited resources of Japan. In 1885, the new Navy slogan became Kaikoku Nippon (Jp:海国日本, "Maritime Japan"). In 1885, the leading French Navy engineer Émile Bertin was hired for four years to reinforce the Japanese Navy and to direct the construction of the arsenals of Kure and Sasebo . He developed the Sankeikan class of cruisers; three units featuring

12348-521: The preceding B class and were intended for coastal patrol work and harbor defense. They had a petrol engine for surface propulsion and batteries for underwater propulsion. The design was intended to overcome the limitations of speed, endurance and seakeeping that had affected earlier Holland -type submarines, such as the Type 1 and Type 6 submarines in Japanese service, and were substantially larger. Their additional size increased their buoyancy and made them far less liable to unexpectedly plunge beneath

12474-453: The private domain navies of Saga , Chōshū, Satsuma , Kurume , Kumamoto and Hiroshima participating. The total tonnage of these ships was 2,252 tons, which was far smaller than the tonnage of the single foreign vessel (from the French Navy) that also participated. The following year, in July 1869, the Imperial Japanese Navy was formally established, two months after the last combat of

12600-590: The revolutionary new technologies embodied in torpedoes , torpedo-boats and mines , of which the French at the time were probably the world's best exponents". Japan acquired its first torpedoes in 1884, and established a "Torpedo Training Center" at Yokosuka in 1886. These ships, ordered during the fiscal years 1885 and 1886, were the last major orders placed with France. The unexplained sinking of Unebi en route from France to Japan in December 1886, created embarrassment however. Japan turned again to Britain, with

12726-423: The ruling coalition to support Japan's first multi-year naval expansion plan in history. In May 1883, the government approved a plan that, when completed, would add 32 warships over eight years at a cost of just over ¥26 million. This development was very significant for the navy, as the amount allocated virtually equaled the navy's entire budget between 1873 and 1882. The 1882 naval expansion plan succeeded in

12852-424: The sea. This however led to conflict with those disgruntled samurai who wanted to expel the westerners and with groups which opposed the Meiji reforms. Internal dissent – including peasant uprisings – become a greater concern for the government, which curtailed plans for naval expansion as a result. In the immediate period from 1868 many members of the Meiji coalition advocated giving preference to maritime forces over

12978-578: The seclusion policy. The Morrison Incident in 1837 and news of China's defeat during the Opium War led the shogunate to repeal the law to execute foreigners, and instead to adopt the Order for the Provision of Firewood and Water. The shogunate also began to strengthen the nation's coastal defenses. Many Japanese realized that traditional ways would not be sufficient to repel further intrusions, and western knowledge

13104-632: The shogunate acquired its first steam warship, Kankō Maru , and began using it for training, establishing a Naval Training Center at Nagasaki. Samurai such as the future Admiral Enomoto Takeaki (1836–1908) was sent by the shogunate to study in the Netherlands for several years. In 1859 the Naval Training Center relocated to Tsukiji in Tokyo . In 1857 the shogunate acquired its first screw-driven steam warship Kanrin Maru and used it as an escort for

13230-472: The standing army of forty thousand men was more than sufficient for domestic purposes. While the government should direct the lion's share of future military appropriations toward naval matters, a powerful navy would legitimize an increase in tax revenue. On November 24, the emperor assembled select ministers of the daijō-kan together with military officers, and announced the need for increased tax revenues to provide adequate funding for military expansion, this

13356-421: The surface in bad weather. The addition of a deck casing above the hull also improved their seakeeping abilities. The design lacked any internal bulkheads which exposed the crew to the petrol engine's exhaust fumes. Mice were used to detect any concentrations of carbon monoxide inside the hull. Ventilation was provided for the batteries, but none for the crew's living area. No accommodations were provided for

13482-471: The town of Brookings, Oregon , on September 9, 1942. Earlier in the year, in February 1942, the submarine I-17 fired a number of shells from her deck gun at the Elwood Oil Fields near Santa Barbara, California . None of the shells caused any serious damage. However, as fuel oil diminished and air superiority was lost, Imperial submarines were no longer able to continue with such successes. Once

13608-452: The upcoming conflict. During the 1880s, France took the lead in influence, due to its " Jeune École " ("young school") doctrine, favoring small, fast warships, especially cruisers and torpedo boats , against bigger units. The choice of France may also have been influenced by the Minister of the Navy, who happened to be Enomoto Takeaki at that time (Navy Minister 1880–1885), a former ally of

13734-559: The visit of the French Military Mission to Japan , the Imperial Japanese Navy stopped relying on foreign instructors altogether. In 1886, she manufactured her own prismatic powder , and in 1892 one of her officers invented a powerful explosive, the Shimose powder . Japan continued the modernization of its navy, especially driven by Chinese efforts to construct a powerful modern fleet with foreign (especially German) assistance, and as

13860-689: The war, IJN submarines did sink about 1 million tons ( GRT ) of merchant shipping (184 ships) in the Pacific; by contrast U.S. Navy submarines sank 5.2 million tons (1,314 ships) in the same period, while U-boats of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine , the IJN's Axis partner, sank 14.3 million tons (2,840 ships) in the Atlantic and other oceans. During the last two years of the War in the Pacific , many IJN submarines were also occupied serving to transport supplies to isolated island garrisons, ones that had been deliberately bypassed by

13986-847: The war. The submarines that Electric Boat sold to Japan were based on the Holland designs , known as Holland Type VIIs similar to the American Plunger -class submarines . The five imported Hollands were originally built at Fore River Ship and Engine Company in Quincy, Massachusetts under Busch's direction for the Electric Boat Company back in August–October 1904. They were shipped by freighter from Seattle , Washington in Knock-down kit form to Japan, and then reassembled by Arthur Leopold Busch at

14112-518: The water was only 58 feet (18 m) deep, there were no provisions at all for the crew to escape while submerged. The commanding officer, Lieutenant Tsutomu Sakuma , patiently wrote a description of his sailor's efforts to bring the boat back to the surface as their oxygen supply ran out. All of the sailors were later found dead at their duty stations when this submarine was raised the following day. The sailors were regarded as heroes for their calm performance of their duties until death, and this submarine

14238-496: Was a large seaplane-carrying submarine, with hangar space for two aircraft. These giant submarines were originally of the A2 type, but following the cancellation of a number of I-400 -class submarines, their design was revised after construction started to carry a second aircraft. The seaplanes were to be the Aichi M6A 1 bomber carrying 800 kg bombs. The range and speed of these submarines

14364-541: Was also equipped with a hangar for one aircraft. The Type A Modified 1 or Junsen Type A Modified 1 type ( 甲型改一 or 巡潜甲型改一 , (Cruiser submarine) Type A Modified 1 ) ( I-12 -class) submarine was similar to the Type A1, but with less powerful engines, giving the type slower surface speed but a longer range. The Type A Modified 2 or Junsen Type A Modified 2 type ( 甲型改二 or 巡潜甲型改二 , (Cruiser submarine) Type A Modified 2 ) (Type A Mod.2, I-13 -class) submarines

14490-595: Was an early class of submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy , and were essentially British C-class submarines , which had been imported for evaluation and reverse engineering . Following its experiment during and after the Russo-Japanese War with modified versions of the Holland -class vessels designed in the United States , the Imperial Japanese Navy turned to the United Kingdom , which had continued development of

14616-838: Was based on the German cruiser submarine U-139 and the British L-class submarine . The Kaidai II type ( 海大II型 , Navy large type II ) ( I-152 -class) submarine was based on U-139 and the British K-class submarine . The Kaidai IIIa type ( 海大IIIa型 , Navy large type IIIa ) ( I-153 -class) submarines were similar to the Type KD1 and KD2 but with strengthened hulls. In 1945, I-155 and I-158 were modified as Kaiten suicide torpedo carriers, each armed with two kaitens . The Kaidai IIIb type ( 海大IIIb型 , Navy large type IIIb ) ( I-156 -class) submarines were similar to

14742-466: Was followed by an imperial re-script. The following month, in December, an annual ¥7.5-million tax increase on sake, soy, and tobacco was fully approved, in the hopes that it would provide ¥3.5 million annually for warship construction and ¥2.5 million for warship maintenance. In February 1883, the government directed further revenues from other ministries to support an increase in the navy's warship construction and purchasing budget. By March 1883,

14868-624: Was hired to train naval cadets. Ships such as the Fusō , Kongō and Hiei were built in British shipyards, and they were the first warships built abroad specifically for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Private construction companies such as Ishikawajima and Kawasaki also emerged around this time. During 1873, a plan to invade the Korean Peninsula , the Seikanron proposal made by Saigō Takamori ,

14994-705: Was narrowly abandoned by decision of the central government in Tokyo. In 1874, the Taiwan expedition was the first foray abroad of the new Imperial Japanese Navy and Army after the Mudan Incident of 1871 , however the navy served largely as a transport force. Various interventions in the Korean Peninsula continued in 1875–1876, starting with the Ganghwa Island incident provoked by the Japanese gunboat Un'yō , leading to

15120-418: Was no longer possible, submarines were used. Only six submarines attempted this trans-oceanic voyage during World War II: I-30 (mid-June to August 1942), I-8 (June 1943), I-34 (October 1943), I-29 (November 1943), and German submarines U-511 (August 1943) and U-864 (December 1944). Of these, I-30 was partially successful but was later sunk by a mine , I-8 completed her mission, I-34

15246-454: Was perceived as ill-advised, and the navy was far less confident than their counterparts in the Japanese army about the outcome of a war with China. Japan's main strategy was to swiftly obtain naval superiority, as this was critical to the success of operations on land. An early victory over the Beiyang fleet would allow Japan to transport troops and material to the Korean Peninsula; additionally,

15372-597: Was preserved as a memorial in Kure until the end of World War II. Although the capabilities of these first submarines were never tested in combat during the Russo-Japanese War , the first submarine squadron was soon formed at Kure Naval District in the Inland Sea . Following the war, the Japanese government followed submarine developments by the Royal Navy with interest, and purchased two British C-class submarines directly from Vickers , with an additional three built from kits by

15498-441: Was remarkable, 21,000  nmi (39,000 km; 24,000 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph), but their underwater performance was compromised, making them easy targets. The Type B or Junsen B type ( 乙型 or 巡潜乙型 , (Cruiser submarine) Type B ) ( I-15 -class) submarines were the most numerous type of submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II . In total 20 were made, starting with I-15 ,

15624-701: Was similar to the I-5 class, but with a catapult for aircraft. The Junsen III type ( 巡潜III型 , Cruiser submarine Type III ) ( I-7 -class) submarines combined the benefits of the Type J2 and the Kaidai V (KD5). This type later led to the Type A, Type B, and Type C submarines. The Type A or Junsen Type A type ( 甲型 or 巡潜甲型 , (Cruiser submarine) Type A ) ( I-9 -class) submarines were large seaplane-carrying submarines, with communication facilities to allow them to operate as command ships for groups of submarines. The type

15750-408: Was sunk by British submarine Taurus , and I-29 by the United States submarine, Sawfish (assisted by Ultra intelligence). I-52 made the final attempt. This class includes the largest of Japanese submarines, characterized by great size and range. The Kaidai I type ( 海大I型 , Navy large type I ) ( I-51 -class) submarine was the prototype for the types (KD2-KD7) that followed and

15876-497: Was utilized through the Dutch at Dejima to reinforce Japan's capability to repel the foreigners; field guns, mortars, and firearms were obtained, and coastal defenses reinforced. Numerous attempts to open Japan ended in failure, in part to Japanese resistance, until the early 1850s. During 1853 and 1854, American warships under the command of Commodore Matthew Perry , entered Edo Bay and made demonstrations of force requesting trade negotiations. After two hundred years of seclusion,

#42957