Japanese Transports

ZATSUYOSEN!

(AKASHISAN MARU, prewar)

IJN AKASHISAN MARU:
Tabular Record of Movement

© 2011-2018 Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall

Revision 4

14 November 1934:
Tama. Laid down by Mitsui Bussan K.K. Zosembu Kojo shipyard as a 4,550-ton passenger/cargo ship for Mitsui Bussan K.K., Kobe.
20 April 1935:
Launched and named AKASHISAN MARU.
3 June 1935:
Completed and registered in the port of Kobe. Her Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) is 4,550-tons and her Net Registered Tonnage (NRT) 2,683-tons. [1]
7 June 1935:
Departs Yokohama.
12 June 1935:
Arrives at Kobe.
14 June 1935:
Departs Kobe for Pescadores Islands.
E June 1935:
Arrives at Pescadores Islands. Later, crosses the Equator.
E 1935-1937:
Placed on Mitsui’s regular Kobe ~ Bangkok run.
July 1937: The Marco Polo Bridge (The"First China Incident") Incident:
Hun River. Japanese troops fire blank cartridges during night maneuvers at the Marco Polo Bridge. Chinese troops across the river fire back, but do not cause injuries. At morning roll call, the Japanese discover a soldier missing and assume the Chinese have captured him. The Japanese demand entry to the Beijing suburb of Wanping to look for the soldier, but the Chinese refuse. The Japanese shell the city and an undeclared war on China begins.
E July 1937:
Requisitioned by the IJN as a transport (Ippan Choyosen). [2]
9 November 1937:
Arrives at Kure Port.
12 November 1937:
Departs Kure.
E 1938:
Released to her owners.
E 1940:
Crosses the Equator. Her GRT and NRT are respectively changed to 4,541-tons and 2,679-tons.
15 September 1941:
Requisitioned again by the IJN as a transport (Ippan Choyosen). [2]
16 September 1941:
Osaka. Starts conversion to an auxiliary transport at Naniwa Dock K.K shipyard.
20 September 1941:
Registered in the IJN under internal order No. 1093 and attached to the Maizuru Naval District as an auxiliary transport (Ko) category. Her home port is Maizuru. [3]
21 October 1941:
The conversion is completed.
E November 1941:
Attached to Vice Admiral Hosogaya Boshiro’s (36) (former CO of battleship MUTSU) 5th Fleet, Supply Unit, also consisting of auxiliary storeship TOKO MARU No. 2 GO and auxiliary collier/oiler NISSAN MARU.
12 November 1941:
Departs Yokosuka.
E November 1941:
Operates in the South Seas area (Japanese mandated islands). Arrives at an unknown date at Yokosuka.
26 November 1941:
Departs Yokosuka.
30 November 1941:
Arrives at Majuro Atoll, Marshalls.
1 December 1941:
At 0330 departs Majuro. At 1430 arrives at Mereyon.
3 December 1941:
At 0900 departs Mereyon for Yokosuka.
12 December 1941:
At 1600 arrives at Yokosuka.
6 January 1942:
At 0900 departs Yokosuka for Akkeshi, Hokkaido.
8 January 1942:
At 1600 arrives at Akkeshi.
5 February 1942:
At 1400 departs Akkeshi.
6 February 1942:
At 1000 arrives at Ominato.
18 February 1942:
At 1300 departs Ominato.
20 February 1942:
At 0730 arrives at Akkeshi.
9 March 1942:
At 1600 departs Akkeshi.
10 March 1942:
At 1400 arrives at Ominato.
18 March 1942:
At 0600 departs Ominato and at 1715 arrives at Muroran.
21 March 1942:
At 1700 departs Muroran.
22 March 1942:
At 0911 arrives at Kushiro.
23 March 1942:
At 0510 departs Kushiro and at 0807 arrives at Akkeshi.
24 March 1942:
At 0315 departs Akkeshi.
26 March 1942:
At 2225 arrives at Musashi Wan, Paramushiro.
28 March 1942:
At 0350 departs Musashi Wan and at 0530 arrives at Akashi Wan. At 2350 departs Akashi Wan.
29 March 1942:
At 1345 arrives at Kasuga Zaki.
30 March 1942:
At 0525 departs Kasuga Zaki and at 0845 arrives at Musashi Wan.
12 April 1942:
At 0200 departs Musashi Wan. At 0530 arrives at Akashi Wan. At 1250 departs and at 1355 arrives at Otomae Wan.
13 April 1942:
At 0550 departs Otomae Wan and at 0745 arrives at Musashi Wan.
15 April 1942:
At 0400 departs Musashi Wan and at 0540 arrives at Otomae Wan.
17 April 1942:
At 0725 departs Otomae Wan and at 0915 arrives at Musashi Wan.
18 April 1942:
At 0045 departs Musashi Wan and at 1315 arrives at Otomae Wan.
19 April 1942:
At 1417 departs Otomae Wan and at 1600 arrives at Musashi Wan.
21 April 1942:
At 1514 departs Musashi Wan.
24 April 1942:
At 1200 arrives at Kushiro, Hokkaido.
26 April 1942:
At 0805 departs Kushiro and arrives that same day at 1104 at Akkeshi.
2 May 1942:
Scheduled to be fitted with various optical devices like telescope, stadimeter and other related equipment under Navy’s Secret Instruction No. 5289.
5 May 1942:
At 1715 departs Akkeshi for Ominato, Aomori Prefecture.
6 May 1942:
At 1600 arrives at Ominato.
12 May 1942:
At 1730 departs Ominato for Akkeshi.
13 May 1942:
At 1606 arrives at Akkeshi.
16 May 1942:
At 1615 departs Akkeshi for Ominato. That same day, AKASHISAN MARU is scheduled to be fitted with seven single 7.7-mm Type 92 MGs and attached to the Main Body’s Northern Force in the forthcoming Aleutian Operation, under Navy’s Secret Instruction No. 5990.
17 May 1942:
At 1530 arrives at Ominato.
23 May 1942:
At 1715 departs Ominato.
E 24 May 1942:
Arrives at Mutsu Wan (Bay), Aomori Prefecture and departs.
26 May 1942:
Arrives at Musashi Wan, Paramushiro.
29 May 1942: Operation "AL" - The Seizure of Attu and Kiska:
The Main Body departs Mutsu Wan in Vice Admiral Hosogaya Boshiro's (36) (former CO of MUTSU) Northern Force consisting of auxiliary storeship TOKO MARU No. 2 GO, oiler FUJISAN MARU, collier/oiler NISSAN MARU, auxiliary cruiser AWATA MARU escorted by CruDiv 5's NACHI, destroyers INAZUMA and IKAZUCHI and Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Kakuta Kakuji's (39) (former CO of NAGATO) Carrier Striking Force's CarDiv 4's JUNYO and RYUJO, CruDiv 4/2's TAKAO and MAYA, DesDiv 3's SHIOKAZE and DesDiv 7's AKEBONO, SAZANAMI and USHIO.
The Main’s Body accompanies Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Omori Sentaro's (41) (former CO of ISE) Adak-Attu Invasion Force: DesRon 1's light cruiser ABUKUMA, DesDiv 21's HATSUHARU, HATSUSHIMO, WAKABA and NENOHI, auxiliary transport KINUGASA MARU, fleet supply ship MUROTO and auxiliary minelayer MAGANE MARU.
Admiral Omori’s Adak-Attu Invasion Force accompanies Captain (later Rear Admiral) Ono Takeji's (44) Kiska Invasion Force: CruDiv 21’s TAMA and KISO, destroyers HIBIKI, AKATSUKI and HOKAZE, auxiliary cruiser ASAKA MARU and auxiliary transports HAKUSAN and KUMAGAWA MARUs.
1 June 1942:
The Invasion Force arrives at Paramushiro. Departs the same day.
5 June 1942:
Admiral Omori’s Adak-Attu Invasion Force and Captain Ono’s Kiska Invasion Force arrive in the Western Aleutians waters. The Adak occupation is cancelled and the Adak-Attu Occupation Force is directed to seize only Attu.
6 June 1942:
At 1500, Captain (later Rear Admiral) Ono Takeji’s Occupation Force lands Commander Mukai Nifumi’s Maizuru No. 3 Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) battalion totaling 660 marines and a Naval Construction Unit of 700 men, at Reynard Cove on Kiska without opposition.
7 June 1942:
At 0300, Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Omori Sentaro's (41) (former CO of ISE) Adak-Attu Occupation Force lands the IJA 301st Independent battalion totaling 1,200 soldiers on Attu, also without opposition.
16 June 1942:
At 0707 departs Paramushiro for Ominato.
19 June 1942:
At 1320 arrives at Ominato.
25 June 1942:
At 0407 transfers from Ominato to Kawauchi Wan, arriving at 0545.
27 June 1942:
At 0507 departs Kawauchi Wan and at 0612 arrives back at Ominato.
30 June 1942:
At 0428 departs Ominato, before returning at 1100.
3 July 1942:
At 0900 departs Ominato.
6 July 1942:
At 1320 arrives at Paramushiro, Kuriles.
13 July 1942:
At 1020 departs Paramushiro for Yokosuka.
16 July 1942:
At 1730 arrives at Ominato.
17 July 1942:
At 1400 departs Ominato escorted by destroyer INAZUMA.
19 July 1942:
At 1500 arrives at Yokosuka. Probably undergoes maintenance and previously scheduled fittings.
3 August 1942:
At 0700 departs Yokosuka and at 0830 arrives at Yokohama.
7 August 1942:
At 1300 departs Yokohama and at 1400 arrives back at Yokosuka.
20 August 1942:
At 0700 departs Yokosuka for Ominato escorted by destroyer IKAZUCHI.
21 August 1942:
Scheduled to be fitted with gun armament under Navy’s Secret Instruction No. 10469.
22 August 1942:
At 1100 arrives at Ominato.
25 August 1942:
At 0730 departs Ominato.
29 August 1942:
At 1025 arrives at Paramushiro.
E early September 1942:
Operates in northern area waters. Arrives at an unknown date at Ominato.
12 September 1942:
Departs Ominato.
E September-October 1942:
Operates in northern area waters.
10 October 1942:
Arrives at Ominato.
28 October 1942:
Departs Ominato.
7 November 1942:
At 0530 departs Paramushiro..
12 November 1942:
At 0950 arrives at Ominato.
23 November 1942:
At 1015 departs Ominato and at 1315 arrives at Nonai.
24 November 1942:
At 1230 departs Nonai and at 1600 arrives back at Ominato.
11 December 1942:
Departs Ominato for Otaru, Hokkaido.
12 December 1942:
Arrives at Otaru.
15 December 1942:
Departs Otaru.
E December 1942:
Arrives at Paramushiro.
28 December 1942:
Her owners are restyled to Mitsui Senpaku K.K. and her registry port to Tokyo.
15 January 1943:
At 0700 arrives at Paramushiro.
30 January 1943:
At 1330 departs Paramushiro.
3 February 1943:
At 1100 arrives at Ominato.
18 February 1943:
At 1100 departs Ominato for Paramushiro.
22 February 1943:
At 1010 arrives at Paramushiro.
26 February 1943:
Paramushiro. AKASHISAN MARU comes alongside auxiliary oiler TENYO MARU and transfers her 160-tons oil barrels for replenishment.
22 March 1943:
At 1600 departs Paramushiro for Ominato.
26 March 1943:
At 1200 arrives at Ominato.
27 March 1943:
Navy’s Captain (Later KIA, Rear Admiral posthumously) Fukuzawa Tetsushiro (36) is appointed supervisor.
3 April 1943:
At 1000 departs Ominato for Paramushiro.
7 April 1943:
At 1900 arrives at Paramushiro.
21 May 1943:
At 1500 departs Paramushiro and at 2330 arrives at Musashi Wan.
23 May 1943:
At 1830 departs Musashi Wan.
24 May 1943:
At 0230 arrives back at Paramushiro.
25 May 1943:
Captain Fukuzawa Tetsushiro is now appointed CO.
4 June 1943:
At 0600 departs Paramushiro for Ominato.
8 June 1943:
At 1714 arrives at Ominato. Undergoes maintenance and repairs.
15 June 1943:
At 1000 departs Ominato and at 1300 arrives at Aomori.
18 June 1943:
At 0900 departs Aomori and at 1220 arrives at Ominato.
19 June 1943:
At 1700 departs Ominato for Paramushiro in an unnumbered convoy also consisting of auxiliary repair ship HAKKAI MARU, auxiliary tanker TERUKAWA MARU and fleet supply ship SHIRASAKI escorted by destroyers HATSUSHIMO and WAKABA.
24 June 1943:
At 0440 arrives at Paramushiro.
28 June 1943:
Departs Paramushiro for Ominato.
2 July 1943:
Arrives at Ominato.
E July 1943:
Departs Ominato and arrives at Paramushiro at an unknown date.
3 August 1943:
At 1730 departs Paramushiro for Ominato.
7 August 1943:
At 1600 arrives at Ominato.
9 August 1943:
Loads ammunition. At 0830 departs for Nonai, Aomori Prefecture. Arrives at 1200.
11 August 1943:
Replenishes fuel. At 0800 departs and arrives at Ominato at 1200.
14 August 1943:
At 0500 departs Ominato.
17 August 1943:
Off Rebun-To (Island) northwestern tip of Hokkaido. AKASHISAN MARU is hit and damaged by a torpedo from an unidentified submarine at 46-04N, 143-54E. No casualties are sustained. [4]
20 August 1943:
At 0630, runs aground in the vicinity of Shiomizaki, Shimushiro Jima, Kuriles. Later auxiliary repair ship HAKKAI MARU comes nearby and proceeds to a full inspection of the damage. Hull is patched and unloading is carried out. Auxiliary minesweeper AOI MARU comes alongside and pumps out oil to ease AKASHISAN MARU.
At 1900, both fishing-boat YONEYAMA MARU at the bow, and small tanker HINODE MARU (321 GRT) at the stern, drag the stranded transport. At 2010, AKASHISAN MARU is finally refloated. Arrives later that same day at Paramushiro.
22-27 August 1943:
Kataoka Wan (Bay). Auxiliary repair ship HAKKAI MARU proceeds to emergency repairs to AKASHISAN MARU’s hull.
28 August 1943:
Departs Paramushiro for Ominato in convoy also consisting of auxiliary repair ship HAKKAI MARU escorted by destroyer WAKABA.
1 September 1943:
Arrives at Ominato.
12 September 1943:
At 1020 departs Ominato for Odomari, Mie Prefecture escorted by destroyer NOKAZE.
13 September 1943:
At 0700 arrives at Otaru.
14 September 1943:
Departs Otaru.
15 September 1943:
At 1100 arrives at Odomari.
17 September 1943:
Departs Odomari for Paramushiro escorted by destroyer NOKAZE.
20 September 1943:
At 0435 arives at Paramushiro.
27 September 1943:
At 0410 departs Paramushiro for Yokohama escorted by destroyer NUMAKAZE.
2 October 1943:
At 0800 arrives at Ominato. Destroyer NOKAZE met the convoy on an unknown date and also escorted ship on final leg.
3 October 1943:
At 0600 departs Ominato.
6 October 1943:
At 0800 arrives at Yokohama. Enters dock for extensive repairs.
10 October 1943:
Undocked.
E October 1943:
Transfers to Yokosuka.
27 November 1943:
At 1030 departs Yokosuka.
29 November 1943:
At 1400 arrives at Ominato.
1 December 1943:
Loads gasoline, bombs and rations.
2 December 1943:
Loads gasoline, dynamite, rice, wheat and clothing. Unloads assorted goods.
3 December 1943:
Loads provisions, general cargo, charcoal, iron ore, mail parcels, frozen goods and torpedo heads.
4 December 1943:
Embarks six passengers. At 1200, departs Ominato for Kataoka Wan (Bay) escorted part way by destroyer KAMIKAZE.
7 December 1943:
KAMIKAZE is detached to assist IJN requisitioned cargo/transport KOAN MARU (4305 GRT) that has suffered an engine breakdown at 0730.
8 December 1943:
At 1500, arrives at Kataoka Wan. Unloads mails parcels and disembarks six passengers.
9 December 1943:
Unloads iron ore general cargo and machinery parts.
10 December 1943:
Unloads iron ore, gasoline, charcoal, supplies, and heavy equipment and machinery parts.
11 December 1943:
Unloads rice, wheat, rations and other sundries.
12 December 1943:
Unloads rations, gasoline and fuel oil.
13 December 1943:
At 1200 departs Kataoka Wan and arrives that same day at Kabutoyama, Paramushiro, at 1300.
15 December 1943:
At 1530 departs Kabutoyama and arrives back at Kataoka Wan, at 1630.
16 December 1943:
Unloads gasoline, assorted goods and other sundries.
17 December 1943:
Unloads gasoline, assorted and frozen goods. At 1230 departs Kataoka Wan and arrives that same day at Kabutoyama.
19 December 1943:
At 0600 departs Kabutoyama and arrives back at Kataoka Wan. Unloads rice, wheat, assorted and frozen goods.
20 December 1943:
Unloads rice, wheat, dynamite and frozen goods. Loads empty drums and troops luggage.
21 December 1943:
Embarks 319 troops.
22 December 1943:
At 0600, departs Kataoka Wan for Otaru.
25 December 1943:
At 0800, arrives at Otaru. Disembarks troops and unloads luggage.
26 December 1943:
At 1200, departs Otaru for Ominato.
27 December 1943:
At 1300, arrives at Ominato. Disembarks troops and unloads luggage.
29 December 1943:
Unloads empty drums and general cargo.
7 January 1944:
At 1315, departs Ominato.
E January 1944:
Calls at Otaru and arrives at Paramushiro. Merchant Captain Inozuka Satoru embarks, still supervised by Navy Captain Fukuzawa Tetsushiro.
12 January 1944:
At 1345 arrives at Paramushiro.
22 January 1944:
At 0600 departs Paramushiro.
25 January 1944:
At 1600 arrives at Ominato.
31 January 1944:
At 0900 departs Ominato.
1 February 1944:
At 0800 arrives at Kushiro.
2 February 1944:
At 0800 departs Kushiro with storeship SHIRASAKI.
5 February 1944:
At 1545 arrives at Kataoka Wan.
5-14 February 1944:
Kataoka Wan. Auxiliary stores ship TENYO MARU No. 2 GO comes alongside and transfers to AKASHISAN MARU 30-tons of raw food products and 220-m3 of paint and assorted goods.
14 February 1944:
At 0500 departs Kataoka Wan.
19 February 1944:
At 0845 arrives at Ominato.
25 February 1944:
After originally scheduled to leave in RO convoy, departs Ominato in convoy HA-2 also consisting of IJA transports RYOYO and FUKOKU MARUs escorted by destroyer USUGUMO and arrives the same day at Otaru. The IJA transports carry the 158th Infantry Regiment to be landed at Paramushiro and Matsuwa-To, Kuriles.
26 February 1944:
The convoy departs Otaru for Musashi Wan (Bay), Paramushiro.
28 February 1944:
Arrives at Musashi Wan.
E 1 March 1944:
Departs Musashi Wan and arrives later in the day at Kataoka Wan.
E 2 March 1944:
Departs Kataoka Wan. Weather conditions are deteriorating rapidly and rough seas cause the convoy to scatter, each ship sailing independently.
2-3 March 1944:
About 21 nms W of Uruppu Island, Kuriles. Steaming ahead of the convoy with storm conditions prevailing, AKASHISAN MARU is nonetheless spotted by LtCdr (later Cdr) Malcom E. Garrison’s (USNA ’32) USS SANDLANCE (SS-381) radar. At 2315, Garrison torpedoes and hits the transport at 46-00N, 149-08E. Her ammunition cargo ignites and AKASHISAN MARU blows up sinking with all hands (45 crewmen) including merchant Captain Inozuka and Navy Captain Fukuzawa, the latter promoted Rear-Admiral posthumously.
10 May 1944:
Removed from the Navy’s list under internal order No. 1067.

Authors Notes:
1] NRT is a ship's cargo volume capacity expressed in "register tons", one of which equals to a volume of 100 cubic feet (2.83 m3). It is calculated by reducing non-revenue-earning spaces i.e. spaces not available for carrying cargo, for example engine rooms, fuel tanks and crew quarters, from the ship's gross register tonnage (GRT). Net register tonnage (NRT) is not a measure of the weight of the ship or its cargo, and should not be confused with terms such as deadweight tonnage or displacement.
[2] See Zatsuyosen home page for full explanation.
[3] There were two categories of Zatsuyosen. (Ko) category with an IJN Captain as supervisor aboard and (Otsu) category without.
[4] No mention of this attack is mentioned in Allied records.

Thanks go to Gengoro S. Toda of Japan.

-Gilbert Casse, Bob Hackett and Peter Cundall

Back to IJN Transports Page