List of ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy

The following is the list of ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy for the duration of its existence, 1868-1945. This list also includes ships before the official founding of the Navy and some auxiliary ships used by the Army. For a list of ships of its successor, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, see List of active Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships and List of combatant ship classes of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Medieval warshipsEdit

Atakebune, 16th century coastal battleships.
Red seal ships – Around 350 armed sailships, commissioned by the Bakufu in the early 17th century, for Asian and South-East Asian trade.
San Buena Ventura (1607) – Built by William Adams for Tokugawa Ieyasu. Crossed the Pacific in 1610.
San Juan Bautista (1614) – One of Japan's first Western-style sail warships, transported the embassy of Hasekura Tsunenaga to America in 1614.

Early modern warshipsEdit

Western-style sail warshipsEdit

Shohei Maru (1854)

Kanrin Maru (1855)

Shohei Maru (1854) – Japan's first post-seclusion Western-style sail warship.
Hou-Ou Maru (1854)
Asahi Maru (1856)

Steam warshipsEdit

Kankō Maru (1855), Japan's first steam warship.
Kanrin Maru (1855) – Japan's first screw-driven steam warship
Chōyō (1858)
Kaiyō Maru (1866)
Kaiten
Banryū
Chogei
Shinsoku
Mikaho
Yoshun　　ja:陽春丸
Kasuga
Chiyodagata (1863), Japan's first domestically-built steam warship.
Hiryū
Teibo
Ryūjō (1864)

The Japanese gunboat Unyo.
Unyo
Nisshin
Takao
Moshun

Corvettes and gunboatsEdit

Kongō class
- Kongō (1877)
- Hiei (1877)
Amagi
Tsukushi
Kaimon
Tenryū
Katsuragi class
Heien (1882, ex-Chinese, captured 1895) – Armored gunboat
Maya class
- Maya
- Akagi
- Atago
- Chōkai
Ōshima
Banjo
Uji

BattleshipsEdit

Kotetsu (1864)

Kōtetsu, (1864–1888) – Japan's first ironclad warship, later renamed Azuma (ex-CSS Stonewall)
Fusō (1877–1910)
Battleship prizes of the First Sino-Japanese War :
- Chin'en (1882, ex-Chinese Chen Yuen (1895–1914))
Fuji class
- Fuji (1896–1948)
- Yashima (1896–1904)
Shikishima class
- Shikishima (1898–1948)
- Hatsuse (1899–1904)
Asahi (1899–1942)
Mikasa (1900 – Preserved)
Battleship prizes of the Russo-Japanese War :
- Iki (1889, ex-Russian Imperator Nikolai I) (1905–1915)
- Tango (1892, ex-Russian Poltava (1905–1923)
- Sagami (1898, ex-Russian Peresvet) (1905–1916)
- Suwo (1900, ex-Russian Pobeda) (1905–1946)
- Hizen (1900, ex-Russian Retvizan) (1905–1924)
- Iwami (1902, ex-Russian Oryol) (1905–1924)
- Mishima (1894, ex-Russian Admiral Seniavin) (1905–1936)
- Okinoshima (1896, ex-Russian General Admiral Graf Apraksin) (1905–1925)
Katori class
- Katori (1905–1924)
- Kashima (1905–1924)
Satsuma class
- Satsuma (1906–1924)
- Aki (1907–1923)
Kawachi class
- Kawachi (1910–1918)
- Settsu (1911–1924)
Kongō class – Battlecruisers rebuilt as fast battleships
- Kongō (1912–1944)
- Hiei (1912–1942)
- Haruna (1913–1945)
- Kirishima (1913–1942)
Fusō class
- Fusō (1914–1944)
- Yamashiro (1915–1944)
Ise class
- Ise (1916–1945)
- Hyūga (1917–1945)
Nagato class
- Nagato (1919–1946)
- Mutsu (1920–1943)
Battleship prizes of World War I:
- ex-Turkish Turgut Reis, ex-German Weissenburg, assigned but not taken over) – BU 1938
- ex-German Nassau BU 1920
- ex-German Oldenburg – BU 1921
Tosa class
- Kaga (1921 – converted to an aircraft carrier)
- Tosa (cancelled 1922, expended as target)

Yamato (1940)

Yamato class
- Yamato (1940–1945)
- Musashi (1940–1944)
- Shinano (converted to an aircraft carrier)
- Hull No. 111 (cancelled 1942)
Kai Yamato class
- Hull No. 797 (not started)
Battleship design A-150
- Hull No. 798 (not started)
- Hull No. 799 (not started)

Seaplane tendersEdit

Wakamiya (1913)
Notoro (1920)
Akitsushima
Kamoi
Chitose class (converted to aircraft carriers)
Mizuho
Nisshin
Kamikawa Maru class

Aircraft carriersEdit

Hōshō (1921)

Hōshō (1921)
Akagi (1925)
Kaga (1928)
Ryūjō (1931)
Sōryū (1935)
Hiryū (1937)
Shōkaku class
- Shōkaku (1939)
- Zuikaku (1939)
Zuihō class
- Zuihō (1940)
- Shōhō (1941)
Hiyō class
- Jun'yō (1941)
- Hiyō (1941)
Taiyō class escort carrier
- Unyō (liner converted to escort carrier in 1941)
- Chūyō (liner converted to escort carrier in 1942)
- Taiyō (liner converted to escort carrier in 1942)
Kaiyō (liner converted to escort carrier in 1942)yesō||2}} (liner converted to escort carrier in 1943)
Akitsu Maru class (used by the Army)
- Akitsu Maru (1941, depot ship and escort carrier)
- Nigitsu Maru (1942, depot ship with flight deck)
Ryūhō (converted from submarine tender in 1942)

Taihō

Taihō (1943)
Chitose class light aircraft carriers
- Chiyoda (1943)
- Chitose (1944)
Unryū class
- Amagi (1943)
- Unryū (1943)
- Katsuragi (1944)
- Kasagi (not completed)
- Aso (not completed)
- Ikoma (not completed)
Shinano (1944)
Shimane Maru class escort carrier
- Shimane Maru (1944)
- Otakisan Maru (not completed)
Yamashio Maru class auxiliary escort carrier (used by the Army)
- Yamashio Maru (1944)
- Chigusa Maru (not completed)
Kumano Maru (1945) (used by the Army)

CruisersEdit

Protected cruisersEdit

ex-Chinese cruisers as prizes of First Sino-Japanese War
- Saien (1895–1904)

Izumi

Izumi (1884–1912)
Naniwa class
- Naniwa (1885–1912)
- Takachiho (1885–1914)
Unebi (1886–1887)
Yaeyama (1890–1911)
Chiyoda (1891–1927)
Chishima (1892–1892)

Itsukushima

Matsushima class
- Itsukushima (1891–1926)
- Matsushima (1892–1908)
- Hashidate (1894–1927)
Akitsushima (1894–1927)
Yoshino (1893–1904)
Suma class
- Suma (1896–1923)
- Akashi (1899–1928)

Akashi

Takasago (1898–1904)
Kasagi class
- Kasagi (1898–1916)
- Chitose (1898–1928)
Niitaka class
- Niitaka (1904–1923)
- Tsushima (1904–1936)
Otowa (1904–1917)
Tone (1910–1931)

Chikuma

Chikuma class
- Chikuma (1912–1931)
- Hirado (1912–1940)
- Yahagi (1912–1940)
ex-Russian cruisers as prizes of Russo-Japanese War
- Tsugaru (1901, ex-Russian Pallada, 1908–1921)
- Soya (1901, ex-Russian Varyag, 1907–1916)
- Suzuya (1901, ex-Russian Novik, 1906–1913)

Dispatch vesselsEdit

Yodo class
- Yodo (1908–1940)
- Mogami (1908–1928)

Light cruisersEdit

Tenryu

Tenryū class
- Tenryū (1919–1942)
- Tatsuta (1919–1944)

Kitakami

Kuma class
- Kuma (1920–1944)
- Tama (1921–1944)
- Kitakami (1921–1945)
- Ōi (1921–1944)
- Kiso (1921–1944)
ex-German cruisers as prize of World War I
- Y (1909, ex-German Augsburg, 1920–1922)

Abukuma

Nagara class
- Nagara (1922–1944)
- Isuzu (1923–1945)
- Yura (1923–1942)
- Natori (1922–1944)
- Kinu (1922–1944)
- Abukuma (1925–1944)
Sendai class
- Sendai (1924–1943)
- Jintsu (1925–1943)
- Naka (1925–1944)
Yūbari (1923–1944)
ex-Republic of China cruisers as prizes of Second Sino-Japanese War
- Ioshima (1931 ex-Ning Hai) (1937–1944)
- Yasoshima (1935 ex-P'ing Hai) (1937–1944)

Kashii

Katori class
- Katori (1940–1944)
- Kashima (1940–1945)
- Kashii (1941–1945)
- Kashiwara (not completed)

Agano

Agano class
- Agano (1942–1944)
- Yahagi (1943–1945)
- Noshiro (1943–1944)
- Sakawa (1944–1945)
Ōyodo class
- Ōyodo (1943–1945)
- Niyodo (not completed)

Armored cruisersEdit

Tokiwa

Asama class
- Asama (1899–1945)
- Tokiwa (1899–1945)
Izumo class
- Izumo (1900–1945)
- Iwate (1901–1945)

Yakumo

Yakumo (1900–1946)
Azuma (1900–1944)
Kasuga class
- Kasuga (1904–1945) ex-Argentine Bernardino Rivadavia
- Nisshin (1904–1936) ex-Argentine Mariano Moreno
ex-Russian armored cruisers as prizes of the Russo-Japanese War
- Aso (1903, ex-Russian Bayan, 1908–1931)

BattlecruisersEdit

Tsukuba

Tsukuba class
- Tsukuba (1907–1917)
- Ikoma (1908–1923)
Ibuki class
- Ibuki (1909–1923)
- Kurama (1911–1923)
Kongō class (battlecruisers converted to "fast battleships" in 1920s)
- Kongō (1913–1945)
- Hiei (1914–1942)
- Haruna (1915–1945)
- Kirishima (1915–1942)
Amagi class
- Amagi (not completed)
- Akagi (converted to aircraft carrier)
- Atago (not completed)
- Takao (not completed)

Heavy cruisersEdit

Kako

Furutaka class
- Furutaka (1926–1942)
- Kako (1926–1942)
Aoba class
- Aoba (1927–1945)
- Kinugasa (1927–1942)

Haguro

Myōkō class
- Myōkō (1929–1946)
- Nachi (1928–1944)
- Ashigara (1928–1945)
- Haguro (1929–1945)

Maya

Takao class
- Takao (1932–1945)
- Maya (1932–1944)
- Atago (1932–1944)
- Chōkai (1932–1944)

Mogami

Mogami class
- Mogami (1935–1944)
- Mikuma (1935–1942)
- Suzuya (1937–1944)
- Kumano (1937–1944)
Tone class
- Tone (1938–1945)
- Chikuma (1939–1944)
Ibuki class
- Ibuki (1943; converted to aircraft carrier)
- No. 301 (Canceled 1942)

DestroyersEdit

Torpedo boatsEdit

Shirataka class (1899–1923)
- Shirataka
Hayabusa class (1899–1923)
- Hayabusa
- Kasasagi
- Manazuru
- Chidori
- Aotaka
- Kari
- Hato
- Tsubame
- Hibari
- Kiji
- Hashitaka
- Sagi
- Uzura
- Kamome
- Ōtori
Chidori class (1933)
Ōtori class (1935–1937)
- Hato
- Hayabusa
- Hiyodori
- Kari
- Kasasagi
- Kiji
- Ōtori
- Sagi

River gunboatsEdit

MinesweepersEdit

Patrol vesselsEdit

Aux. No.1 (驅潛特務艇第一號型): Over 200 built during World War II, 81 lost.

List of IJN Patrol Vessels can be found here at [1]

Patrol Boat # 01-see [2]
Patrol Boat # 02-see [3]
Patrol Boat # 31-see [4]
Patrol Boat # 32-sunk at Battle of Wake Island
Patrol Boat # 33-sunk at Battle of Wake Island
Patrol Boat # 34-see [5]
Patrol Boat # 35-see [6]
Patrol Boat # 36-see [7]
Patrol Boat # 37-see [8]
Patrol Boat # 38-see [9]
Patrol Boat # 39-see [10]
Patrol Boat # 46-see [11]
Patrol Boat # 101-see [12]
Patrol Boat # 102-formerly USN Destroyer USS Stewart (DD-224)
Patrol Boat # 103-formerly USN minesweeper USS Finch (AM-9)
Patrol Boat # 104-see [13]
Patrol Boat # 105-see [14]
Patrol Boat # 106-see [15]
Patrol Boat # 107-see USS Genesee (AT-55)
Patrol Boat # 108-see [16]
Patrol Boat # 109-see [17]

MinelayersEdit

SubmarinesEdit

1st Class submarinesEdit

Junsen class
- Type J1, Junsen 1 gata (巡潜I型), 4 units, I-1, I-2, I-3, I-4.
- Type J1M, Junsen 1 gata kai (巡潜I型改), I-5.
- Type J2, Junsen 2 gata (巡潜II型), I-6.
- Type J3, Junsen 3 gata (巡潜III型), 2 units, I-7, I-8.

Kou class
- Type A1, Kou gata(S35) (甲型 (S35)), 3 units, I-9, I-10, I-11.
- Type A2, Kou gata(S35B) (甲型 (S35B)), I-12.
- Type AM, Kou gata(S35G) (甲型 (S35G)), 2 units, I-13, I-14.

Otsu class
- Type B1, Otsu gata(S37) (乙型 (S37)), 20 units, I-15, I-17, I-19, I-21, I-23, I-25, I-26, I-27, I-28, I-29, I-30, I-31, I-32, I-33, I-34, I-35, I-36, I-37, I-38, I-39.
- Type B2, Otsu gata(S37B) (乙型 (S37B)), 6 units, I-40, I-41, I-42, I-43, I-44, I-45.
- Type B3, Otsu gata(S37C) (乙型 (S37C)), 3 units, I-54, I-56, I-58.

Hei class
- Type C1, Hei gata(S38) (丙型 (S38)), 5 units, I-16, I-18, I-20, I-22, I-24.
- Type C2, Hei gata(S38B) (丙型 (S38B)), 3 units, I-46, I-47, I-48.

C3 type I-55

- Type C3, Hei gata(S37D) (丙型 (S37D)), 3 units, I-52, I-53, I-55.

Tei class
- Type D1, Tei gata(S51/S51B) (丁型 (S51/S51B)), 12 units, I-361, I-362, I-363, I-364, I-365, I-366, I-367, I-368, I-369, I-370, I-371, I-372(S51B).
- Type D2, Tei gata kai(S51C) (丁型改 (S51C)), I-373.

Kaidai class
- Type KD1, Kaidai 1 gata (海大I型), I-51.
- Type KD2, Kaidai 2 gata (海大II型), I-152(52).
- Type KD3a, Kaidai 3 gata a (海大III型a), 4 units, I-153(53), I-154(54), I-155(55), I-158(58).
- Type KD3b, Kaidai 3 gata b (海大III型b), 5 units, I-156(56), I-157(57), I-159(59), I-60, I-63.
- Type KD4, Kaidai 4 gata (海大IV型), 3 units, I-61, I-162(62), I-164(64),
- Type KD5, Kaidai 5 gata (海大V型), 3 units, I-165(65), I-166(66), I-67,
- Type KD6a, Kaidai 6 gata a (海大VI型a), 6 units, I-168(68), I-169(69), I-70, I-171(71), I-172(72), I-73.
- Type KD6b, Kaidai 6 gata b (海大VI型b), 2 units, I-174(74), I-175(75).
- Type KD7, Kaidai 7 gata (海大VII型), 10 units, I-176(76), I-177, I-178, I-179, I-180, I-181, I-182, I-183, I-184, I-185.

Sentoku type I-401

Sentoku type, Toku gata (特型), 3 units, I-400, I-401, I-402 (I-404 not launched, I-405 not completed).
Sentaka type, Sentaka (潜高), 3 units, I-201, I-202, I-203 (I-204 to I-208 not completed).
Senho type, Senho (潜補), I-351 (I-352 not completed).
Kiraisen (Mine layer) type, Kiraisen (機雷潜), 4 units I-121, I-122, I-123, I-124.
Captured German submarines, 6 units, I-501 (U-181), I-502 (U-862), I-503 (UIT-24), I-504 (UIT-25), I-505 (U-219), I-506 (U-195).

2nd Class submarinesEdit

Kaichū VI Ro-33

Kaichū type
- Type K1, Kaichū 1 gata (海中I型), 2 units, Ro-11, Ro-12.
- Type K2, Kaichū 2 gata (海中II型), 3 units, Ro-13, Ro-14, Ro-15.
- Type K3, Kaichū 3 gata (海中III型), 10 units, Ro-16, Ro-17, Ro-18, Ro-19, Ro-20, Ro-21, Ro-22, Ro-23, Ro-24, Ro-25.
- Type K4, Kaichū 4 gata (海中IV型), 3 units, Ro-26, Ro-27, Ro-28.
- Type KT (Toku-Chū), Kaichū 5 gata (海中V型), 5 units, Ro-29, Ro-30, Submarine No. 70, Ro-31, Ro-32.
- Type K6, Kaichū 6 gata (海中VI型), 2 units, Ro-33, Ro-34.
- Type KS (Sen-Chū), Kaichū 7 gata (海中VII型), 18 units, Ro-35, Ro-36, Ro-37, Ro-38, Ro-39, Ro-40, Ro-41, Ro-42, Ro-43, Ro-44, Ro-45, Ro-46, Ro-47, Ro-48, Ro-49, Ro-50, Ro-55, Ro-56.
Type L
- Type L1, Ro go jū 1 gata (L1型), 2 units, Ro-51, Ro-52.
- Type L2, Ro go jū 2 gata (L2型), 4 units, Ro-53, Ro-54, Ro-55, Ro-56.
- Type L3, Ro go jū 3 gata (L3型), 3 units, Ro-57, Ro-58, Ro-59.
- Type L4, Ro go jū 4 gata (L4型), 9 units, Ro-60, Ro-61, Ro-62, Ro-63, Ro-64, Ro-65, Ro-66, Ro-67, Ro-68.
Ko Type, 18 units, Ro-100, Ro-101, Ro-102, Ro-103, Ro-104, Ro-105, Ro-106, Ro-107, Ro-108, Ro-109, Ro-110, Ro-111, Ro-112, Ro-113, Ro-114, Ro-115, Ro-116, Ro-117.
Sen'yu-Shō Type, 10 units, Ha-101, Ha-102, Ha-103, Ha-104, Ha-105, Ha-106, Ha-107, Ha-108, Ha-109, Ha-111 (Ha-110 and Ha-112 not completed)
Sentaka-Shō Type, 11 units, Ha-201, Ha-202, Ha-203, Ha-204, Ha-205, Ha-207, Ha-208, Ha-209, Ha-210, Ha-216 (Ha-206, Ha-211 to Ha-215, Ha-217 to Ha-279 not completed)
F1 type
F2 type
Captured German submarines, 2 units, Ro-500 (U-511), Ro-501 (U-1224).

3rd Class submarinesEdit

Ko-hyoteki-class submarine

Type A Kō-hyōteki class, 101 units.
Kairyū class, about 250 units (750 planned).
Kaiten, about 1000 units.
C1 type
C2 type
S1 type
Kawasaki class
S2 type
No.71, Dai 71 gou-kan (第71号艦),71-gou