This class consists of Nakata Zosen Yards Nos 27-29 being CHOKO, HAKKA and SHUKO MARUs, completed from April-October 1940 all for Sanko Kisen K.K and three very similar ships, also by Nakata Zosen as Yards Nos 30-32 for Sanko Kisen being KOGA, KANKO and KISHIN MARUs and one very similar ship built by Nishimukai Wakayama for Benzo Nagaoka, TAIKO MARU. CHOKO MARU was requisitioned in September 1941 by the IJN and converted to an auxiliary anti-submarine netlayer in Oct ‘41. The ship was based at Penang for most of her operational life and was sunk by a British submarine 12 February 1944. SHUKO MARU was also converted to an IJN netlayer and was based in the SW Pacific. The ship was sunk by a US Submarine off Iwo Jima on 29 January 1944. HAKKA MARU was requisitioned by the IJA and was bombed and sunk 2 Jan 1945 off North San Fernando, Luzon, Philippines. KOGA MARU, KANKO MARU and KISHIN MARU were also requisitioned by the IJN as auxiliary netlayers in 1941. KOGA MARU was mined and sunk 4 April 1945. KANKO MARU was sunk, together with consort SHUNSEN MARU by USS CAVALLA 5 January 1945 in the Java Sea. TAIKO MARU was requisitioned by the IJN as an auxiliary subchaser. She was sunk by USN aircraft in Jul ’44. KISHIN MARU survived the war and after being used as a Repatriation Service vessel was returned to her owners in 1950. This ship and her sister TAIKO MARU are shown as a separate class as although similar they are believed slightly different in appearance.
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