Japanese potential troop transport Borneo Maru in December 1921

On 22 May 1922 (!) received the Dutch naval staff at The Hague, Netherlands from the Dutch embassy at Tokyo, Japan a detailed specification of Japanese merchant ships of minimum 1.500 tons tonnage usable for troop transport over sea on 13 December 1921. If the transport was over a short distance for instance Japan-Philippines or Japan-Chinese harbours was the transport capacity increased with 10% and on a distance within 24 hours even doubled. The figures were supplied by non-Japanese experts, partly based on the troop transports between Japan-China and Japan-Siberia. The transports were kept secret. At that moment was Japan already considered as a potential enemy. For each ship was mentioned how many troops included equipment could be transported over a longer distance, for instance to an island belonging to the Dutch East Indies. In February-March 1942 invaded Japan indeed the Dutch East Indies.

Speed 13 miles, net tonnage 4.258 tons, gross tonnage 5.657 tons, transport capacity 1.850 men and owned by Osaka Shosen Kaisha Passenger ship. Coal-fuelled.(1)

Note

1. Gross tonnage 5,864 tons, under deck 5,586 tons, net tonnage 4,264 tons and as dimensions 385.0 x 51.0 x 36.0 feet. Owned in 1939 by Osaka Syosen KK., Osaka and delivered in November 1917 by Kawasaki Dockyard Co. Ltd., Kobe, Japan. Call sign JLCB. Passenger annex cargo ship laid down on 5 July 1917, launched as Daifuku Maru No. 14 on 28 October 1917, completed on 24 November 1917, required by the Osaka Shosen Kaisha Line and renamed Borneo Maru on 25 November 1917, requisitioned by the Japanese Imperial Army on 4 October 1941, converted into the troop transport IJA No. 520, sunk after an American air attack on 21 October 1942 at Kiska already hevaily damaged in an air attack on 15 October.

Source

Archive Dutch Naval Staff 1886-1942 inventory number 137 (National Archive at The Hague, Netherlands.