Officially known within the Japanese imperial navy as a 200 ton oceanographic research ship based on the design of the Sanýo Maru of the Hokkaido Fisheries Institute. The navy wanted to have information about the weather and ocean currents in areas which were potential battle fields. The crew consisted of merchant personnel except for part of the warrant officers. In service of the Hydrographic Department was - despite a directly control by the navy - a civil ensign raised. With a displacement of 203 (gross)-281 standing) tons and as dimensions 37,0 (over all) x 6,8 x 1,3 (draught) x 3,3 (draft) metres or 121.5 x 22.4 x 7.7 x 10.10 feet. The machinery consisted of 1 400bhp diesel with a single screw allowing a speed of 11 knots. With a speed of 11 knots was a range of 7.000 nautical miles possible. In 1944 numbered the crew 44 men. The armament consisted pf 1-13,2mm/0.52” anti aircraft Type 93 gun, a 7,7mm Type 92 machine gun and some depth charges. Laid down by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Shimoneseki Shipyard, Japan on 6 April 1942, launched on 12 Decmber 1942, completed on 31 March 1943 and sunk by the American submarine USS Gabilan of Muroto, Japan on 31 October 1944.
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