Japanese minelayer Kamishima
Encyclopedia
was a small minelayer
of the Imperial Japanese Navy
, which was in service during the final stages of World War II
. She was named after Kamishima
Island, a small island in Mie Prefecture
, offshore Toba, Mie
. She was the lead ship
of the two-vessel .
invasion of the Japanese home islands
, the Imperial Japanese Navy saw the need to block the entrances to the Sea of Japan
to protect Japan’s relatively lightly defended western coast. However, as almost all minelayer
s had been sunk by that time, an emergency program was begun to construct several small vessels for this task. Kamishima was launched by the Sasebo Naval Arsenal
on June 12, 1945, and was commissioned into service on July 30, 1945.
, but the surrender of Japan
occurred only 15 days after her commissioning. She was removed from the navy list
on September 15, 1945.
From September 1945 through June 1947, Kamishima was used as a repatriation vessel, shuttling between ports in Korea
and Shanghai
, and Kyushu
, returning demobilized Japanese troops and civilians. On October 3, 1947, the American occupation forces
turned Kamishima over to the Soviet Union
as war reparations
at the port of Nakhodka
, where she was subsequently commissioned into the Soviet Navy
's Pacific Fleet and transferred to Vladivostok
in October. Her subsequent fate is uncertain.
Minelayer
Minelaying is the act of deploying explosive mines. Historically this has been carried out by ships, submarines and aircraft. Additionally, since World War I the term minelayer refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines...
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...
, which was in service during the final stages of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She was named after Kamishima
Kamishima
is a small island in Mie Prefecture in Japan. The island is administered by and belongs to Toba city....
Island, a small island in Mie Prefecture
Mie Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kansai regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Mie prefecture was known as Ise Province and Iga Province....
, offshore Toba, Mie
Toba, Mie
is a city in Mie, Japan.Toba is the site of the Toba Aquarium, which houses such animals as dugongs, African manatees, porpoises, and a wide-variety of aquatic life....
. She was the lead ship
Lead ship
The lead ship or class leader is the first of a series or class of ships all constructed according to the same general design. The term is applicable military ships and larger civilian craft.-Overview:...
of the two-vessel .
Building
During the very final stages of World War II, in preparation for the anticipated AlliedAllies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
invasion of the Japanese home islands
Operation Downfall
Operation Downfall was the Allied plan for the invasion of Japan near the end of World War II. The operation was cancelled when Japan surrendered after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan. The operation had two parts: Operation...
, the Imperial Japanese Navy saw the need to block the entrances to the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
to protect Japan’s relatively lightly defended western coast. However, as almost all minelayer
Minelayer
Minelaying is the act of deploying explosive mines. Historically this has been carried out by ships, submarines and aircraft. Additionally, since World War I the term minelayer refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines...
s had been sunk by that time, an emergency program was begun to construct several small vessels for this task. Kamishima was launched by the Sasebo Naval Arsenal
Sasebo Naval Arsenal
was one of four principal naval shipyards owned and operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. -History:The Sasebo Naval District was established at Sasebo, Nagasaki in 1886, as the third of the naval districts responsible for the defense of the Japanese home islands. After the establishment of the...
on June 12, 1945, and was commissioned into service on July 30, 1945.
Operational history
On completion, Kamishima was assigned to the Sasebo Naval DistrictSasebo Naval District
was the third of five main administrative districts of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Navy. Its territory included the western and southern coastline of Kyūshū, the Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan and Korea, as well as patrols in the East China Sea and the Pacific...
, but the surrender of Japan
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
occurred only 15 days after her commissioning. She was removed from the navy list
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
on September 15, 1945.
From September 1945 through June 1947, Kamishima was used as a repatriation vessel, shuttling between ports in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, and Kyushu
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, returning demobilized Japanese troops and civilians. On October 3, 1947, the American occupation forces
Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers
Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers was the title held by General Douglas MacArthur during the Occupation of Japan following World War II...
turned Kamishima over to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
as war reparations
War reparations
War reparations are payments intended to cover damage or injury during a war. Generally, the term war reparations refers to money or goods changing hands, rather than such property transfers as the annexation of land.- History :...
at the port of Nakhodka
Nakhodka
Nakhodka is a port city in Primorsky Krai, Russia, situated on the Trudny Peninsula jutting into the Nakhodka Bay of the Sea of Japan, about east of Vladivostok...
, where she was subsequently commissioned into the Soviet Navy
Soviet Navy
The Soviet Navy was the naval arm of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy would have played an instrumental role in a Warsaw Pact war with NATO, where it would have attempted to prevent naval convoys from bringing reinforcements across the Atlantic Ocean...
's Pacific Fleet and transferred to 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...
in October. Her subsequent fate is uncertain.