The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy

Imperial Japanese Navy

The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...

.

History

First established on 28 December 1903, the IJN 2nd Fleet was created by the Imperial General Headquarters

Imperial General Headquarters

The as part of the Supreme War Council was established in 1893 to coordinate efforts between the Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy during wartime...

 as a mobile strike force of cruiser

Cruiser

A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...

s and destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

s to pursue the Imperial Russian Navy

Imperial Russian Navy

The Imperial Russian Navy refers to the Tsarist fleets prior to the February Revolution.-First Romanovs:Under Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich, construction of the first three-masted ship, actually built within Russia, was completed in 1636. It was built in Balakhna by Danish shipbuilders from Holstein...

's Vladivostok

Vladivostok

The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...

-based cruiser squadron while the remaining bulk of the Japanese fleet (the IJN 1st Fleet

IJN 1st Fleet

The was the main battleship fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy.-History:First established on 28 December 1903, the IJN 1st Fleet was created during the Russo-Japanese War when the Imperial General Headquarters divided the Readiness Fleet into a mobile strike force of cruisers and destroyers to...

) continued to blockade Port Arthur

Lüshunkou

Lüshunkou is a district in the municipality of Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Also called Lüshun City or Lüshun Port, it was formerly known as both Port Arthur and Ryojun....

 in hopes of luring the battleship

Battleship

A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...

s of the Russian Pacific Fleet out into a classic line-of-battle confrontation.
As the main mobile force in the Imperial Japanese Navy, the IJN 2nd Fleet saw the bulk of all future combat operations from the time of its inception until this dissolution at the end of World War II.

Commanders of the IJN 2nd Fleet

Commander in chief

	Rank	Name	Date
1	Admiral	Baron Hikonojo Kamimura	27 Oct 1903 – 20 Dec 1905
2	Admiral	Baron Dewa Shigeto Dewa Shigeto - Notes :...	20 Dec 1905 – 22 Nov 1906
3	Fleet Admiral	Baron Ijuin Gorō Ijuin Goro -External links:...	22 Nov 1906 – 26 May 1908
4	Admiral	Baron Dewa Shigeto Dewa Shigeto - Notes :...	26 May 1908 – 1 Dec 1909
5	Fleet Admiral	Baron Shimamura Hayao Shimamura Hayao Baron was a Japanese admiral during the First Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese Wars as well as one of the first prominent staff officers and naval strategists of the early Imperial Japanese Navy.-Biography:...	1 Dec 1909 – 1 Dec 1911
6	Admiral	Yoshimatsu Motaro	1 Dec 1911 – 1 Dec 1912
7	Vice Admiral	Ijichi Suetaka	1 Dec 1912 – 1 Dec 1913
8	Admiral	Baron Kato Sadakichi	1 Dec 1913 – 5 Feb 1915
9	Admiral	Nawa Matahachiro	5 Feb 1915 – 13 Dec 1915
10	Admiral	Baron Yashiro Rokuro Yashiro Rokuro - Notes :...	13 Dec 1915 – 1 Dec 1917
11	Fleet Admiral	Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito was the second head of the Higashifushimi-no-miya, an ōke cadet branch of the Japanese imperial family.-Early life:Born on September 19, 1867, as seventeenth son of Prince Fushimi Kuniye, head of the Fushimi-no-miya, one of the shinnōke branches of the Imperial Family of Japan, which were...	1 Dec 1917 – 13 Jun 1918
12	Admiral	Yamaya Tanin Yamaya Tanin - Notes :...	13 Jun 1918 – 1 Dec 1919
13	Fleet Admiral	Prince Fushimi Hiroyasu Prince Fushimi Hiroyasu was a scion of the Japanese imperial family and was a career naval officer who served as chief of staff of the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1932 to 1941.-Early life:...	1 Dec 1919 – 1 Dec 1920
14	Admiral	Baron Suzuki Kantaro	1 Dec 1920 – 1 Dec 1921
X	X	Disbanded	1 Dec 1921 – 1 Dec 1922
15	Vice Admiral	Naoe Nakano	1 Dec 1922 – 1 Jun 1923
16	Admiral	Hiroharu Kato	1 Jun 1923 – 1 Dec 1924
17	Vice Admiral	Hanroku Saito	1 Dec 1924 – 16 Sep 1925
18	Admiral	Saburo Hyakutake	16 Sep 1925 – 10 Dec 1926
19	Vice Admiral	Yasuhira Yoshikawa	10 Dec 1926 – 16 May 1928
20	Vice Admiral	Koshiro Otani	16 May 1928 – 10 Dec 1928
21	Admiral	Baron Mineo Ōsumi Mineo Osumi Baron was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy and served twice as Minister of the Navy of Japan during the volatile 1930s.-Early life:Ōsumi was born in Kōchi Prefecture, but grew up in Aichi Prefecture. He was a graduate of the 24th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy, where he...	10 Dec 1928 – 11 Nov 1929
22	Vice Admiral	Nobutaro Iida	11 Nov 1929- 1 Dec 1930
23	Admiral	Ryozo Nakamura	1 Dec 1930 – 1 Dec 1931
24	Admiral	Nobumasa Suetsugu	1 Dec 1931 – 15 Nov 1933
25	Admiral	Sankichi Takahashi Sankichi Takahashi was an Admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy. After the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 Takahashi, an important figure of IJN's Fleet Faction, made a swift career, from commander of an obsolete cruiser in 1923 to commander of the Combined Fleet in 1934...	15 Nov 1933 – 15 Nov 1934
26	Admiral	Mitsumasa Yonai Mitsumasa Yonai was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and politician. He was the 37th Prime Minister of Japan from 16 January to 22 July 1940.-Early life & Naval career:...	15 Nov 1934 – 2 Dec 1935
26	Admiral	Takayoshi Kato	2 Dec 1935 – 1 Dec 1936
27	Admiral	Zengo Yoshida Zengo Yoshida was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy.-Biography:Yoshida was born into an impoverished farming family in Saga prefecture in 1885, and was adopted into the family of a local rice merchant. He was a graduate of the 32nd class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1904, ranking 12th out of...	1 Dec 1936 – 1 Dec 1937
28	Admiral	Shigetarō Shimada Shigetaro Shimada was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. He also served as Navy Minister-Biography:A native of Tokyo, Shimada graduated from the 32nd class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1904...	1 Dec 1937 – 15 Nov 1938
29	Admiral	Soemu Toyoda	15 Nov 1938 – 21 Oct 1939
30	Fleet Admiral	Mineichi Koga Mineichi Koga - Notes :...	21 Oct 1939 – 1 Sep 1941
31	Admiral	Nobutake Kondō	1 Sep 1941 – 9 Aug 1943
32	Vice Admiral	Takeo Kurita Takeo Kurita Vice Admiral was a vice-admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.-Early life:Kurita was born in Mito city, Ibaraki Prefecture in 1889. He was sent off to Etajima in 1905 and graduated from the 38th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1910, ranked 28th out of a class of...	9 Aug 1943 – 23 Dec 1944
33	Admiral	Seiichi Ito Seiichi Ito was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy and commander of the battleship on its final mission towards the end of World War II.-Early career:...	23 Dec 1944 – 7 Apr 1945
X	X	not filled	7 Apr 1945 – 20 Apr 1945

Chief of Staff

	Rank	Name	Date
1	Fleet Admiral	Viscount Tomazaburo Kato Kato Tomosaburo Viscount was a career officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy, cabinet minister, and Prime Minister of Japan from 12 June 1922 to 24 August 1923.-Biography:...	28 Dec 1903 – 12 Jan 1905
2	Admiral	Koichi Fujii	12 Jan 1905 – 20 Dec 1905
3	Admiral	Tanin Yamaya	20 Dec 1905 – 14 Jan 1907
X	X	not filled	14 Jan 1907 – 28 Sep 1907
4	Admiral	Isamu Takeshita Isamu Takeshita was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy. He was also a diplomat whose accomplishments included helping end the Russo-Japanese War favorably for Japan and obtaining former German possessions in the Pacific for Japan following World War I...	28 Sep 1907 – 17 Dec 1907
5	Admiral	Ryokitsu Arima	17 Dec 1907 – 20 Nov 1908
6	Vice-Admiral	Tatsuo Matsumura	20 Nov 1908 – 1 Feb 1909
X	X	not filled	1 Feb 1908 – 1 Dec 1909
7	Rear Admiral	Shichitaro Takagi	1 Dec 1909 – 22 Jan 1911
8	Vice-Admiral	Kiyokaze Yoshida	22 Jan 1911 – 1 Dec 1911
9	Admiral	Baron Kiyokazu Abo Kiyokazu Abo - Notes :...	5 Dec 1911 – 1 Dec 1912
10	Vice-Admiral	Kiyokaze Yoshida	1 Dec 1912 – 1 Feb 1915
11	Admiral	Hiroharu Kato	1 Feb 1915 – 13 Dec 1915
12	Vice-Admiral	Yasujiro Nagata	13 Dec 1915 – 1 Dec 1916
13	Vice-Admiral	Nobutaro Shimamura	1 Dec 1916 – 15 Sep 1917
14	Admiral	Saburo Hyakutake	15 Sep 1917 – 10 Nov 1918
15	Rear Admiral	Shigeushi Nakagawa	10 Nov 1918 – 1 Dec 1919
16	Vice Admiral	Yasuhira Yoshikawa	1 Dec 1919 – 1 Dec 1920
17	Vice Admiral	Kikuo Matsumura	1 Dec 1920 – 1 Dec 1921
18	Admiral	Ryozo Nakamura	1 Dec 1922 – 6 Nov 1923
19	Vice Admiral	Masataka Ando	6 Nov 1923 – 1 Dec 1924
20	Vice Admiral	Yukichi Shima	1 Dec 1924 – 1 Dec 1925
21	Admiral	Mitsumasa Yonai Mitsumasa Yonai was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and politician. He was the 37th Prime Minister of Japan from 16 January to 22 July 1940.-Early life & Naval career:...	1 Dec 1925 – 1 Dec 1926
22	Vice Admiral	Shigeru Matsuyama	1 Dec 1926- 1 Dec 1927
23	Vice Admiral	Ken Terajima	1 Dec 1927 – 10 Dec 1928
24	Vice Admiral	Teikichi Hori	10 Dec 1928 – 6 Sep 1929
25	Admiral	Koichi Shiozawa Koichi Shiozawa -External links:* - Notes :...	6 Sep 1929 – 1 Dec 1929
26	Admiral	Shigetarō Shimada Shigetaro Shimada was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. He also served as Navy Minister-Biography:A native of Tokyo, Shimada graduated from the 32nd class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1904...	1 Dec 1929 – 1 Dec 1930
26	Rear Admiral	Wasuke Komaki	1 Dec 1930 – 10 Oct 1931
27	Vice Admiral	Kamezaburo Nakamura	10 Oct 1931 – 15 Nov 1933
28	Vice Admiral	Jugoro Arichi	15 Nov 1933 – 15 Nov 1934
29	Rear Admiral	Taichi Miki	15 Nov 1934 – 15 Nov 1935
30	Vice Admiral	Shunzo Mito	15 Nov 1935 – 1 Apr 1936
31	Vice Admiral	Masaichi Niimi Masaichi Niimi was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during the World War II.-Biography:Niimi was born in what is now Asakita Ward, Hiroshima city. Hiroshima prefecture, as the second son to a farming and soy sauce producing family. He was a graduate of the 36th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy...	1 Apr 1936 – 1 Dec 1936
32	Vice Admiral	Gunichi Mikawa Gunichi Mikawa was a Vice-Admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.Mikawa was the commander of a heavy cruiser force that carried out spectacular I.J.N. victory over the U.S. Navy and the Royal Australian Navy at the Battle of Savo Island in Ironbottom Sound on the night of August 1942. In...	1 Dec 1936 – 15 Nov 1937
33	Admiral	Seiichi Ito Seiichi Ito was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy and commander of the battleship on its final mission towards the end of World War II.-Early career:...	15 Nov 1937 – 15 Nov 1938
34	Admiral	Takeo Takagi Takeo Takagi was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.-Biography:Takagi was a native of Iwaki city, Fukushima prefecture. He was a graduate of the 39th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy, ranking 17th of 148 cadets in 1911...	15 Nov 1938 – 1 Nov 1939
35	Vice Admiral	Yoshio Suzuki	1 Nov 1939 – 30 Aug 1941
36	Vice Admiral	Kazutaka Shiraishi	30 Aug 1941 – 2 Jul 1943
37	Vice Admiral	Tomiji Koyanagi Tomiji Koyanagi , was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.-Biography:A native of Niigata Prefecture, Koyanagi was a graduate of the 42nd class of the Imperial Japanese Navy Academy in 1914. He served his midshipman duty on the cruiser and battleship . Commissioned a sub-lieutenant in...	2 Jul 1943 – 25 Nov 1944
38	Rear Admiral	Nobuei Morishita	25 Nov 1944 – 20 Apr 1945