Maizuru Naval Arsenal
Encyclopedia
was one of four principal naval shipyard
s owned and operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy
. 35.474°N 135.402°E
was established at Maizuru, Kyoto
in 1889, as the fourth of the naval districts responsible for the defense of the Japanese home islands. After the establishment of the navy base, a ship repair facility was established in 1901 with a dry dock
. With the addition of equipment and facilities for ship production by 1903, the Maizuru Naval Arsenal was officially established.
Additional dry docks were completed in 1904 and 1914. When the No.3 dry dock was completed in 1914, it was the largest in Japan at the time.
In 1923, after the Washington Naval Treaty
, there were discussions within the Navy Ministry
about closing the facility, and it was largely mothballed until 1936. Afterwards, it reopened and expanding, specializing mostly in destroyer
-size and smaller vessels.
In the post-World War II
period, the shipyards were purchased by a private firm, Iino Industries, which operated them to 1963, when it was purchased by Hitachi Zosen Corporation. In 2002, Hitachi spun the shipyards out into a new joint venture
company with JFE Engineering called Universal Shipbuilding Corporation.
The former head office and some warehouses associated with the shipyards are preserved as commemorative museums by the Maizuru city government. The pre-war dry docks and one of the large cranes are still in use today.
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
s owned and operated by 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...
. 35.474°N 135.402°E
History
The Maizuru Naval DistrictMaizuru Naval District
was one of four main administrative districts of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Navy. Its territory included the entire Sea of Japan coastline from northern Kyūshū to western Hokkaidō.-History:...
was established at Maizuru, Kyoto
Maizuru, Kyoto
is a city located in Kyōto, Japan, on an inlet of the Sea of Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 89,626 and the density of 264 persons per km². The total area is .The city was founded on May 27, 1943....
in 1889, as the fourth of the naval districts responsible for the defense of the Japanese home islands. After the establishment of the navy base, a ship repair facility was established in 1901 with a dry dock
Dry dock
A drydock is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform...
. With the addition of equipment and facilities for ship production by 1903, the Maizuru Naval Arsenal was officially established.
Additional dry docks were completed in 1904 and 1914. When the No.3 dry dock was completed in 1914, it was the largest in Japan at the time.
In 1923, after the Washington Naval Treaty
Washington Naval Treaty
The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, was an attempt to cap and limit, and "prevent 'further' costly escalation" of the naval arms race that had begun after World War I between various International powers, each of which had significant naval fleets. The treaty was...
, there were discussions within the Navy Ministry
Ministry of the Navy of Japan
The was a cabinet-level ministry in the Empire of Japan charged with the administrative affairs of the Imperial Japanese Navy . It existed from 1872 to 1945.-History:...
about closing the facility, and it was largely mothballed until 1936. Afterwards, it reopened and expanding, specializing mostly in 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...
-size and smaller vessels.
In the post-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...
period, the shipyards were purchased by a private firm, Iino Industries, which operated them to 1963, when it was purchased by Hitachi Zosen Corporation. In 2002, Hitachi spun the shipyards out into a new joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
company with JFE Engineering called Universal Shipbuilding Corporation.
The former head office and some warehouses associated with the shipyards are preserved as commemorative museums by the Maizuru city government. The pre-war dry docks and one of the large cranes are still in use today.