1938 appearance.
She was laid down as a seaplane tender at the Kure Yard on 26 November 1934, launched on 29 November 1936, commissioned 25 July 1938, according to some sources was she in 1940 rebuilt as a carrier for type A midget submarines, on 26 January 1943 started at the Sasebo navy Yard the rebuilding as a light carrier, she was commissioned as the CLV 24 on 1 November 1943 and finally completed as a carrier on 1 January 1944 to be sunk by Americans in the Battle in the Gulf of Leyte on 25 October 1944. With a displacement of 11,200 long tons/11,400 tons (standard)-15,300 long tons/15,500 tons full load were her dimensions 192,5 x 20,8 x 7,5 metres or 631’7”x 68’3”x 24’7”. Her 2 steam turbines provided 56,000 shp allowing a speed of 28,9 knots. Her crew numbered 800 men. As a seaplane tender was she armed with 4x12,7cm guns and 12-2,5cm anti aircraft guns and carried she 24 Kawanishi E7K type 94 ‘Alf” and Nakajima E8N type 95 ‘Dave’ floatplanes.As a carrier she was armed with 8x12,5cm guns and between 30 and 48 2,5cm anti aircraft guns and carried she 30 planes for which she was fitted out with 4 catapults and 2 elevators.
