China Area Fleet
The China Area Fleet (支那方面艦隊, Shina Hōmen Kantai) was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy organized after the Battle of Shanghai. It reported directly to the Imperial General Headquarters and had the same organizational level as the Combined Fleet. This article handles their predecessor fleet the Southern Qing Fleet (南清艦隊, Nanshin Kantai), China Expeditionary Fleet (遣支艦隊, Kenshi Kantai) and 1st/2nd Expeditionary Fleet (第一/第二遣外艦隊, Daiichi/Daini Kengai Kantai) also.
Organizations of the China Area Fleet and Subordinate Units
China Area Fleet
- Structure (extract)
Date | Higher unit | Lower units, vessels and elements |
---|---|---|
20 October 1937 (original) | Imperial General Headquarters | 3rd Fleet, 4th Fleet, 1st Carrier Division, 2nd Carrier Division, 3rd Carrier Division, 1st Combined Air Group, 2nd Combined Air Group |
1 February 1938 | Imperial General Headquarters | 3rd Fleet, 4th Fleet, 5th Fleet |
15 November 1939 | Imperial General Headquarters | 1st China Expeditionary Fleet, 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet, 3rd China Expeditionary Fleet, 13th Division, 2nd Combined Air Group, Shanghai Area Base Force, Shanghai Special Naval Landing Force |
10 December 1941 | Imperial General Headquarters | Coast defence ship Izumo, 1st China Expeditionary Fleet, 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet, 3rd China Expeditionary Fleet, 13th Gunboat Division, 14th Gunboat Division, 1st Motor gunboat Division, 2nd Motor gunboat Division, Shanghai Area Base Force, Shanghai Special Naval Landing Force, Zhōushān Island Guard Unit, Shanghai Port office |
1 April 1943 | Imperial General Headquarters | Cruiser Izumo, 1st China Expeditionary Fleet, 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet, Qingdao Area Special Base Force, Shanghai Area Base Force, Shanghai Special Naval Landing Force |
1 April 1944 | Imperial General Headquarters | Cruiser Izumo, 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet, Qingdao Area Special Base Force, Shanghai Area Base Force, Yangtze River Area Base Force, Shanghai Special Naval Landing Force, Shanghai Naval Air Group, Qingdao Naval Air Group, 256th Naval Air Group, 2nd Weather Observation Unit |
1 June 1945 | Supreme Headquarters of the Navy | 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet, Qingdao Area Special Base Force, Shanghai Area Base Force, Yangtze River Area Base Force, Shanghai Special Naval Landing Force |
9 September 1945 | Surrendered. |
- Commander in chief
Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Admiral | Kiyoshi Hasegawa | 20 October 1937 | Commander in chief of the 3rd Fleet |
2 | Vice-Admiral Admiral |
Koshirō Oikawa | 25 April 1938 15 November 1939 |
Commander in chief of the 3rd Fleet |
3 | Vice-Admiral Admiral |
Shigetarō Shimada | 1 May 1940 15 November 1940 |
|
4 | Vice-Admiral Admiral |
Mineichi Koga | 1 September 1941 1 May 1942 |
|
5 | Admiral | Zengo Yoshida | 10 November 1942 | |
6 | Admiral | Nobutake Kondō | 1 December 1943 | |
7 | Vice-Admiral | Ryōzō Fukuda | 15 May 1945 |
- Chief of staff
Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Rear-Admiral | Rokuzō Sugiyama | 20 October 1937 | Chief of staff of the 3rd Fleet |
2 | Rear-Admiral | Jin'ichi Kusaka | 25 April 1938 | Chief of staff of the 3rd Fleet |
3 | Rear-Admiral Vice-Admiral |
Shigeyoshi Inoue | 23 October 1939 15 November 1939 |
Chief of staff of the 3rd Fleet |
4 | Rear-Admiral Vice-Admiral |
Denshichi Ōkawachi | 1 October 1940 15 November 1940 |
|
5 | Vice-Admiral | Minoru Tayui | 16 March 1942 | |
6 | Vice-Admiral | Kanji Ugaki | 1 September 1943 | |
7 | Vice-Admiral | Naomasa Sakonjō | 15 December 1944 |
1st China Expeditionary Fleet
The 1st China Expeditionary Fleet (第一遣支艦隊, Dai-Ichi Kenshi Kantai) was reorganized from the 3rd Fleet on 15 November 1939. Their role was the guard of the coast in China at first, however, it changed for the guard in the down stream area of the Yangtze River. Describe 3rd Fleet, 1st China Expeditionary Fleet and successor unit the Yangtze River Area Base Force (揚子江方面根拠地隊, Yōsukō Hōmen Konkyochitai) in this section.
- Structure (extract)
Date | Higher unit | Unit name | Lower units, vessels and elements |
---|---|---|---|
2 February 1932 (original) | Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | 3rd Fleet | Coast defence ship Izumo, Cruiser Ōi, Tatsuta, Collier Muroto, Collier Noshima, Oiler Notoro, Naruto, Food supply ship Mamiya, 1st Expeditionary Fleet, 2nd Expeditionary Fleet, 3rd Division, 1st Carrier Division, 1st Destroyer Squadron, 26th Destroyer Division |
20 October 1937 | China Area Fleet | 3rd Fleet | Coast defence ship Izumo, 11th Division, 3rd Destroyer Squadron, Shanghai Special Naval Landing Force |
15 November 1939 | China Area Fleet | 1st China Expeditionary Fleet (renamed and reorganized) |
11th Division, Hankou Area Base Force, Jiujiang Base Unit |
15 November 1940 | China Area Fleet | 1st China Expeditionary Fleet | Gunboat Ataka, Seta, Hira, Katada, Hozu, Atami, Futami, Fushimi, Sumida, Hankou Area Base Force |
20 August 1943 | China Area Fleet | Yangtze River Area Base Force (renamed and reorganized) |
Gunboat Fushimi, Sumida, Seta, Hira, Katada, Hozu, Atami, Futami, Suma, Tatara, Narumi, Jiujiang Guard Unit |
1 June 1945 | China Area Fleet | Yangtze River Area Base Force | Gunboat Fushimi, Sumida, 21st Gunboat Division, 22nd Gunboat Division, 23rd Gunboat Division, 24th Gunboat Division, Jiujiang Guard Unit |
9 September 1945 | Surrendered. |
- Commander in chief (3rd Fleet and 1st China Expeditionary Fleet) and commander (Yangtze River Area Base Force)
Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Vice-Admiral | Kichisaburō Nomura | 2 February 1932 | |
2 | Vice-Admiral | Seizō Sakonji | 28 June 1932 | |
3 | Vice-Admiral | Mitsumasa Yonai | 1 December 1932 | |
4 | Vice-Admiral | Shinjirō Imamura | 15 September 1933 | |
5 | Vice-Admiral | Gengo Hyakutake | 15 November 1934 | |
6 | Vice-Admiral | Koshirō Oikawa | 1 December 1935 | |
7 | Vice-Admiral | Kiyoshi Hasegawa | 1 December 1936 20 October 1937 |
Commander in chief of the China Area Fleet |
8 | Vice-Admiral | Koshirō Oikawa | 25 April 1938 | Commander in chief of the China Area Fleet |
9 | Vice-Admiral | Umatarō Tanimoto | 15 November 1939 | Commander of the 11th Division |
10 | Vice-Admiral | Boshirō Hosogaya | 15 November 1940 | |
11 | Vice-Admiral | Marquis Teruhisa Komatsu | 5 July 1941 | |
12 | Vice-Admiral | Kakusaburō Makita | 14 February 1942 | |
13 | Vice-Admiral | Yoshikazu Endō | 9 March 1943 | |
14 | Vice-Admiral | Ichirō Ōno | 20 August 1943 | |
15 | Vice-Admiral | Kōichirō Hatakeyama | 20 March 1944 | |
16 | Vice-Admiral | Torao Sawada | 21 November 1944 |
- Chief of staff (3rd Fleet and 1st China Expeditionary Fleet)
Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Rear-Admiral | Shigetarō Shimada | 2 February 1932 | |
2 | Captain Rear-Admiral |
Shigeru Kikuno | 28 June 1932 1 December 1932 |
|
3 | Rear-Admiral | Seizaburō Mitsui | 1 April 1933 | |
4 | Captain | Shirō Takasu | 15 November 1933 | |
5 | Captain Rear-Admiral |
Eijirō Kondō | 15 November 1934 15 November 1935 |
|
6 | Rear-Admiral | Seiichi Iwamura | 2 December 1935 | |
7 | Captain Rear-Admiral |
Rokuzō Sugiyama | 16 November 1936 1 December 1936 20 October 1937 |
Chief of staff of the China Area Fleet |
8 | Rear-Admiral | Jin'ichi Kusaka | 25 April 1938 | Chief of staff of the China Area Fleet |
9 | Rear-Admiral | Shigeyoshi Inoue | 23 October 1939 | Chief of staff of the China Area Fleet |
10 | Rear-Admiral | Shigenori Horiuchi | 15 November 1939 | |
11 | Captain Rear-Admiral |
Shin'ichi Ichise | 15 October 1940 15 November 1940 11 August 1941 15 January 1942 |
Commander of the Hankou Area Base Force |
12 | Rear-Admiral | Gunji Kogure | 25 July 1942 | |
x | Demotion to Area Base Force. | 20 August 1943 |
2nd China Expeditionary Fleet
The 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet (第二遣支艦隊, Dai-Ni Kenshi Kantai) was reorganized from the 5th Fleet on 15 November 1939. The 5th Fleet was reinforcements for 3rd Fleet and 4th Fleet. Their role was the guard and invasion of South China. Describe 5th Fleet and 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet in this section. The 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet kept appearance of a fleet until the end of war.
- Structure (extract)
Date | Higher unit | Unit name | Lower units, vessels and elements |
---|---|---|---|
1 February 1938 (original) | China Area Fleet | 5th Fleet | 9th Division, 10th Division, 3rd Carrier Division, 4th Carrier Division, 5th Destroyer Squadron |
15 December 1938 | China Area Fleet | 5th Fleet | 9th Division, 5th Destroyer Squadron, C.M. Seaplane tender Kamikawa Maru, 3rd Combined Air Group, 14th Air Group, 16th Air Group, 2nd Base Force, 3rd Base Force |
15 November 1939 | China Area Fleet | 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet (renamed and reorganized) |
15th Division, 3rd Combined Air Group, Xiamen Area Base Force, Guangdong Area Base Force, Hainan Area Base Force |
10 December 1941 | China Area Fleet | 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet | 15th Division, Xiamen Base Force, Guangdong Base Force |
1 January 1944 | China Area Fleet | 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet | Gunboat Saga, Hashidate, Hong Kong Special Base Force, Hong Kong Port office, Guangdong Guard Unit, Hainan Guard Unit, 254th Naval Air Group, 15th Guard Unit, 16th Guard Unit, 4th Yokosuka Special Naval Landing Force, 1st Sasebo Special Naval Landing Force, 1st Maizuru Special Naval Landing Force |
9 September 1945 | Surrendered. |
- Commander in chief
Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Vice-Admiral | Kōichi Shiozawa | 1 February 1938 | |
2 | Vice-Admiral | Nobutake Kondō | 15 December 1938 | |
3 | Vice-Admiral | Shirō Takasu | 29 September 1939 | |
4 | Vice-Admiral | Yorio Sawamoto | 15 October 1940 | |
5 | Vice-Admiral | Masaichi Niimi | 4 April 1941 | |
6 | Vice-Admiral | Kiyoshi Hara | 14 July 1942 | |
7 | Vice-Admiral | Daisuke Soejima | 21 June 1943 | |
8 | Vice-Admiral | Ruitarō Fujita | 25 April 1945 |
- Chief of staff
Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Rear-Admiral | Minoru Tayui | 1 February 1938 | |
2 | Rear-Admiral | Tamon Yamaguchi | 15 December 1938 | |
3 | Rear-Admiral | Chūichi Hara | 15 November 1939 | |
4 | Captain Rear-Admiral |
Yasuo Yasuba | 13 August 1941 15 October 1941 10 March 1942 |
Commander of the Hong Kong Special Base Force |
5 | Captain Rear-Admiral |
Chōzaemon Obata | 1 September 1942 1 November 1942 |
Commander of the Hong Kong Special Base Force |
6 | Captain Rear-Admiral |
Yuzuru Ōkuma | 19 October 1943 1 May 1944 |
Commander of the Hong Kong Special Base Force |
3rd China Expeditionary Fleet
The 3rd China Expeditionary Fleet (第三遣支艦隊, Dai-San Kenshi Kantai) was reorganized from the 4th Fleet on 15 November 1939. The 4th Fleet was reinforcements for 3rd Fleet. Their role was the guard in Bohai Sea. Describe 4th Fleet and 3rd China Expeditionary Fleet in this section. The 3rd China Expeditionary Fleet was specialization to guard unit for Qingdao and become extinct.
- Structure (extract)
Date | Higher unit | Unit name | Lower units, vessels and elements |
---|---|---|---|
20 October 1937 (original) | China Area Fleet | 4th Fleet | Cruiser Ashigara, 9th Division, 14th Division, 4th Destroyer Squadron, 5th Destroyer Squadron |
15 December 1938 | China Area Fleet | 4th Fleet | 12th Division, 1st Combined Special Naval Landing Force |
15 November 1939 | China Area Fleet | 3rd China Expeditionary Fleet (renamed and reorganized) |
12th Division, Qingdao Area Special Base Force |
10 December 1941 | China Area Fleet | 3rd China Expeditionary Fleet | Coast defence ship Iwate, 11th Torpedo boat Division, Qingdao Area Special Base Force |
10 April 1942 | Dissolved and reorganized to Qingdao Area Special Base Force. |
- Commander in chief
Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Vice-Admiral | Soemu Toyoda | 20 October 1937 | |
2 | Vice-Admiral | Masaharu Hibino | 15 November 1938 | |
3 | Vice-Admiral | Naokuni Nomura | 15 November 1939 | |
4 | Vice-Admiral | Mitsumi Shimizu | 30 September 1940 | |
5 | Vice-Admiral | Rokuzō Sugiyama | 5 July 1941 | |
6 | Vice-Admiral | Shiro Kawase | 16 December 1941 |
- Chief of staff
Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Captain Rear-Admiral |
Masami Kobayashi | 20 October 1937 1 December 1937 |
|
2 | Captain Rear-Admiral |
Arata Oka | 1 September 1938 15 November 1938 |
|
3 | Rear-Admiral | Takeo Tada | 15 November 1939 | |
4 | Captain | Shigeji Kaneko | 8 August 1940 10 April 1941 |
Commander of the Qingdao Area Special Base Force |
5 | Captain | Masaki Ogata | 24 May 1941 | Commander of the Qingdao Area Special Base Force |
6 | Captain | Morikazu Ōsugi | 20 August 1941 15 January 1942 |
Commander of the Qingdao Area Special Base Force Commander of the Qingdao Area Special Base Force and Qingdao Guard Unit |
Organizations of pre-China Area Fleet
Describe about pre-China Area Fleet in this section. The Southern Qing Fleet, China Expeditionary Fleet, 1st Expeditionary Fleet and 2nd Expeditionary Fleet were ancestor of China Area Fleet.
Southern Qing Fleet
The Southern Qing Fleet (南清艦隊, Nanshin Kantai) was organized after the Russo-Japanese War. They were reinforced by Xinhai Revolution in 1911, however, Beiyang Government declared neutrality in World War I. All gunboats were detained, and Southern Qing Fleet became extinct before long.
- Structure (extract)
Date | Higher unit | Unit name | Lower units, vessels and elements |
---|---|---|---|
20 December 1905 (original) | Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | Southern Qing Fleet | Cruiser Takachiho, Chitose, Gunboat Uji, Sumida |
22 November 1906 | Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | Southern Qing Fleet | Cruiser Takachiho, Akitsushima, Gunboat Uji, Sumida, Fushimi |
24 December 1908 | Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | 3rd Fleet (renamed) |
Cruiser Akashi, Otowa, Gunboat Uji, Sumida, Fushimi |
1 December 1911 | Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | 3rd Fleet | Cruiser Chiyoda, Niitaka, Suma, Dispatch vessel Mogami, Chihaya, Tatsuta, Gunboat Uji, Sumida, Fushimi, Toba |
5 February 1915 | Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | 3rd Fleet | Cruiser Kasuga, Tsushima, Akitsushima |
23 December 1915 | Dissolved. |
- Commander
Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Rear-Admiral | Kunikane Taketomi | 20 December 1905 | |
2 | Rear-Admiral | Chikataka Tamari | 22 November 1906 | |
3 | Rear-Admiral Vice-Admiral |
Izō Teragaki | 22 November 1906 1 December 1909 |
|
4 | Rear-Admiral | Reijirō Kawashima | 1 December 1910 | |
5 | Rear-Admiral Vice-Admiral |
Matahachirō Nawa | 20 April 1912 1 December 1912 |
|
6 | Rear-Admiral | Mitsukane Tsuchiya | 25 March 1914 | |
7 | Vice-Admiral | Takeshi Takarabe | 5 February 1915 |
- Chief of staff
Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Captain | Hisatsune Iida | 13 September 1913 1 December 1913 |
Newly established Commanding officer of the cruiser Kasagi |
x | Chief of staff was abolished. | 27 May 1914 | ||
2 | Commander | Yasuhira Yoshikawa | 8 August 1914 | |
x | Chief of staff was abolished. | 1 December 1914 |
China Expeditionary Fleet/1st Expeditionary Fleet
The 1st Expeditionary Fleet (第一遣外艦隊, Dai-Ichi Kengai Kantai) was reorganized on 9 August 1919 from China Expeditionary Fleet (遣支艦隊, Kenshi Kantai). Their ancestor was 7th Division (第七戦隊, Dai-Nana Sentai) under World War I. They became 11th Division only for gunboats and became extinct.
- Structure (extract)
Date | Higher unit | Unit name | Lower units, vessels and elements |
---|---|---|---|
1 December 1917 (original) | 3rd Fleet | 7th Division | Cruiser Chitose, Gunboat Uji, Toba, Sumida, Fushimi |
10 August 1918 | Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | China Expeditionary Fleet (renamed) |
Cruiser Chitose, Gunboat Saga, Uji, Toba, Sumida, Fushimi |
9 August 1919 | Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | 1st Expeditionary Fleet (renamed) |
Cruiser Suma, Gunboat Yodo, Saga, Uji, Toba, Sumida, Fushimi, 29th Destroyer Division |
1 December 1924 | Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | 1st Expeditionary Fleet | Cruiser Tone, Gunboat Ataka, Saga, Toba, Sumida, Fushimi, Seta, Hira, Hozu |
30 November 1929 | Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | 1st Expeditionary Fleet | Cruiser Hirado, Yahagi, Gunboat Ataka, Saga, Toba, Sumida, Fushimi, Seta, Hira, Katada, Hozu, Destroyer Urakaze |
2 February 1932 | 3rd Fleet | 1st Expeditionary Fleet | Cruiser Hirado, Tsushima, Tenryū, Minelayer Tokiwa, Gunboat Ataka, Uji, Toba, Sumida, Fushimi, Seta, Hira, Katada, Hozu, Atami, 24th Destroyer Division, Destroyer Urakaze |
20 May 1933 | 3rd Fleet | 11th Division (renamed) |
Cruiser Tsushima, Gunboat Ataka, Uji, Toba, Sumida, Fushimi, Seta, Hira, Katada, Hozu, Atami, Futami, 24th Destroyer Division, Destroyer Urakaze |
15 December 1938 | 3rd Fleet | 11th Division | Gunboat Ataka, Toba, Seta, Hira, Katada, Hozu, Atami, Futami, Destroyer Tsuga, Kuri, Hasu, 1st Torpedo Boat Division |
15 November 1939 | 1st China Expeditionary Fleet | 11th Division | Gunboat Ataka, Toba, Seta, Hira, Katada, Hozu, Atami, Futami, Fushimi |
15 November 1940 | Dissolved. |
- Commander
Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
---|---|---|---|---|
x | Vacant post | 1 December 1917 | ||
1 | Rear-Admiral | Toyokazu Yamaoka | 15 December 1917 | |
2 | Rear-Admiral Vice-Admiral |
Masujirō Yoshida | 8 November 1919 1 December 1920 |
|
3 | Rear-Admiral | Kenzō Kobayashi | 1 May 1922 | |
4 | Rear-Admiral | Kichisaburō Nomura | 15 September 1923 | |
5 | Rear-Admiral | Osami Nagano | 20 April 1925 | |
6 | Rear-Admiral | Jirō Araki | 20 August 1926 | |
7 | Rear-Admiral | Wataru Ugawa | 1 December 1927 | |
8 | Rear-Admiral | Mitsumasa Yonai | 10 December 1928 | |
9 | Rear-Admiral | Kōichi Shiozawa | 1 December 1930 | |
10 | Rear-Admiral | Tsuneyoshi Sakano | 6 June 1932 | |
11 | Rear-Admiral | Teijirō Sugisaka | 15 November 1933 | |
12 | Rear-Admiral | Masaharu Hibino | 2 December 1935 | |
13 | Rear-Admiral | Umatarō Tanimoto | 1 December 1936 | |
14 | Rear-Admiral | Eijirō Kondō | 1 December 1937 | |
15 | Rear-Admiral | Rokuzō Sugiyama | 15 December 1938 | |
16 | Vice-Admiral | Umatarō Tanimoto | 15 November 1939 | Commander in chief of the 1st China Expeditionary Fleet |
2nd Expeditionary Fleet
The 2nd Expeditionary Fleet (第二遣外艦隊, Dai-Ni Kengai Kantai) was organized on 16 May 1927 for reinforcements for 1st Expeditionary Fleet. Their role was the guard of Northern China.
- Structure (extract)
Date | Higher unit | Lower units, vessels and elements |
---|---|---|
16 May 1927 (original) | Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | Cruiser Hirado, Tsushima, 9th Destroyer Division |
2 February 1932 | 3rd Fleet | Cruiser Kuma, Coast defence ship Yakumo, 13th Destroyer Division, 16th Destroyer Division |
20 April 1933 | Dissolved. |
- Commander
Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Rear-Admiral | Susumu Nakajima | 16 May 1927 | |
2 | Rear-Admiral | Kin'ichi Mukōda | 1 April 1928 | |
3 | Rear-Admiral | Kiyohiro Ijichi | 10 December 1928 | |
4 | Rear-Admiral | Shizue Tsuda | 21 May 1930 |
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