Japanese Minelayers

FUSETSUKAN!
(TSUBAME by Takeshi Yuki)

IJN Minelayer SAISHU: Tabular Record of Movement
© 2009-2017 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 6

15 January 1941:
Sakurajima. Laid down at Osaka Iron Works.
5 August 1941:
Launched and named SAISHU.
25 April 1942:
Completed and registered in the IJN. Assigned to the Chinhae (Jinhae), South Korea Guard Unit.
29 May 1944:
Departs Kagoshima for Kirun (Keelung), Formosa (Taiwan) with torpedo boat MANAZURU, auxiliary gunboat TOMITSU MARU, auxiliary minesweeper TAKUNAN MARU No. 1, NAGATO MARU, HAKATA MARU No. 7, HIMESHIMA MARU, HOEI MARU, auxiliary patrol boats CHIKUTO MARU, CHOUN MARU No. 13 and NANSATSU MARU No. 3 escorting convoy KATA-517 consisting of 15 unidentified merchant ships.
E 31 May 1944:
Arrives at Keelung.
6 June 1944:
Arrives at Shimo-Torishima (unknown location near Moppo, Chosen).
8 June 1944:
Transfers to Moppo.
26 June 1944:
At 0400, SAISHU and auxiliary TAKUNAN MARU depart Saei escorting a convoy consisting of FUTSU and KYOEI MARUs.
27 June 1944:
At 0900, arrives at Kagoshima.
29 June 1944:
At 0430, departs Kagoshima.
30 June 1944:
At 1920, arrives at Kure.
9 July 1944:
At 1000, SAISHU departs Kagoshima, Kyushu for Naha, Okinawa with torpedo boat MANAZURU, minelayers TSUBAME, NUWAJIMA and auxiliary minesweepers TAKUNAN MARU No. 1, HOEI, HIMESHIMA and SEKI MARUs escorting convoy KANA-912 consisting of SHIRANESAN, DAII, GYOKU, TAIKEN, NANREI, TOYOSAKA, TERUKUNI and NISSHIN MARUs and TAMON MARU No. 12, ASAHI MARU No, 2, BANEI MARU No. 6 and NANKAI MARU No.1. The convoy is carrying elements of the IJA's 9th Infantry Division, 27th Tank Regiment, 3rd and 7th Independent Machine Gun Battalions and 1st Independent Artillery Mortar Regiment for the defense of Okinawa.
11 July 1944:
Arrives at Naha.
17 August 1944:
At 0800 SAISHU and NARIU together with auxiliary subchasers TOSHI MARU No. 5 and SHONAN MARU No. 5 depart Yokohama escorting joint convoys 3817 and 3818 consisting of EIKO, YAEI, KANESHIGE and SURUGA MARUs.
18 August 1944:
The convoys amalgamate together and sail from Tateyama.
22 August 1944:
At 1300 arrive at Chichi-Jima.
23 August 1944:
At 0900, SAISHU departs Chichijima with auxiliary subchaser SHONAN MARU No.5 and minelayer NARYU (NARIU) escorting a convoy consisting of EIKO, HOKKAI and HASSHO MARUs. At 1047, an enemy aircraft attacks the convoy and SHONAN MARU No. 5 is bombed and sunk.
29 August 1944:
At 0500, arrives at Yokosuka.
28 January 1945:
Naha, Okinawa. SAISHU and minelayer NUWAJIMA come alongside KOEI MARU.and each receives 100 mines.
29 January 1945:
SAISHU receives another 100 mines while NUWAJIMA receives 80 more mines.
27 March 1945:
At 1437, USN codebreakers intercept and decrypt a message that reads: “Ibusuki patrol plane discovered survivors (presumed to be from ODATE) drifting in position bearing 226 degrees, distant 142 miles from Ibusuki. SAISHU and NUWAJIMA are to proceed rapidly to the same position and are to make contact after rescue.”
4 April 1945:
At 0800 SAISHU arrives at Sasebo.
9 April 1945:
At 1200 minelayers TOKIWA, KOEI MARU, NUWAJIMA and SAISHU depart Sasebo. Later they anchor at Imari Wan.
10 April 1945:
At 0800 departs Imari Wan. At 1700 transits the Shimonoseki Straits.
11 April 1945:
At 1730 KOEI MARU, NUWAJIMA and SAISHU arrive at Saiki.
12 April 1945:
Saeki. SAISHU and NUWAJIMA, KUROKAMI, KATASHIMA and KOEI MARU load mines.
13 April 1945:
Loading operations are completed.
14 April 1945:
At 0900 NUWAJIMA departs Saiki followed an hour later by KOEI MARU, KYOSAI and SAISHU. The ships proceed to lay mines in the Bungo Suido area.
15 April 1945:
At 0630 KOEI MARU, SAISHU, NUWAJIMA and KYOSAI arrive at Saiki.
22 April 1945:
At 0800 minelayers KYOSAI, NIIZAKI, SAISHU and NUWAJIMA escorted by kaibokan CD-22 depart Sasebo. At 1400 they anchor in Imari Wan.
24 April 1945:
At Himejima anchoorage minelayer EIJO MARU transfers mines to minelayers SAISHU, NIIZAKI, NUWAJIMA and KYOSAI.
25 April 1945:
At 0600 minelayers SAISHU and NIIZAKI depart Himejima anchorage escorted by kaibokan CD-29.
28 April 1945:
At 1000 NUWAJIMA and KYOSAI with kaibokan CD-22 for escort depart Kogushi (Ogushi) Wan for Saiki.
29 April 1945:
At 1530 NUWAJIMA, SAISHU and KYOSAI with kaibokan CD-22 arrive at Saiki.
1 May 1945:
At 1805 SAISHU and KYOSAI departs Saiki for Uzuki.
2 May 1945:
At 1500 SAISHU and KYOSAI depart Saiki for Uzuki.
4 May 1945:
At 0930 SAISHU and KYOSAI arrive back at Saiki.
8 May 1945:
At 0300 NIIZAKI, SAISHU and KYOSAI depart Saiki for Yawata. They arrive there at 1140.
19 May 1945:
At 1000 minelayers KOEI MARU, KYOSAI, SAISHU and TOKIWA and kaibokan CD-22, CD-29 and CD-44 depart Sasebo. At 1800 the ships anchor at Karatsu Wan.
21 May 1945:
At 0900 at Moji KYOSAI and SAISHU are detached and proceed to Saiki.
24 May 1945:
KYOSAI and SAISHU arrive at Saiki.
26 May 1945:
At 1520 minelayers EIJO MARU, SAISHU and KYOSAI depart Saiki and later that day anchor off Kanda anchorage.
15 August 1945:
Hong Kong. SAISHU's crew is informed of the cessation of hostilities with the Allied Powers.
30 August 1945:
The Royal Navy and British Army reoccupy Hong Kong.
9 September 1945:
Japanese troops in China formally surrender. SAISHU is taken over by Chinese forces.
17 October 1945:
Departs Sasebo on her first repatriation voyage.
22 October 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
23 October 1945:
Arrives at Manila. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
27 October 1945:
Departs Manila.
31 October 1945:
Arrives at Okinawa and departs later the same day.
2 November 1945:
Arrives at Kagoshima. Disembarks troops and passengers.
15 November 1945:
Departs Kure.
21 November 1945 :
Arrives at Miyakojima, Okinawa. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
23 November 1945:
Departs Miyakojima.
26 November 1945:
Arrives at Kure. Disembarks troops and passengers.
1 December 1945:
Officially assigned to the Allied Repatriation Service. [1]
4 December 1945 :
Departs Kure.
6 December 1945:
Arrives at Saiki and departs later that day.
8 December 1945:
Arrives at Miyakojima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
10 December 1945:
Departs Miyakojima.
13 December 1945:
Arrives at Otaka.
20 December 1945:
Departs Kure.
24 December 1945 :
Arrives at Miyakojima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
25 December 1945:
Departs Miyakojima and later that day arrives Ishigakishima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
26 December 1945:
Departs Ishigakishima.
30 December 1945:
Arrives at Otaka. Disembarks troops and passengers.
2 January 1946 :
Arrives at Kasado Dockyard for repairs.
27 January 1946:
Repairs are completed.
1 February 1946:
Departs Hakata.
2 February 1946:
Arrives at Pusan. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
5 February 1946:
Departs Pusan.
7 February 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
8 February 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
10 February 1946:
Arrives at Hakata.
13 February 1946:
Departs Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
15 February 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
16 February 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
18 February 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
20 February 1946:
Departs Hakata.
22 February 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
23 February 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
25 February 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
28 February 1946:
Departs Hakata.
1 March 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
2 March 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
5 March 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
8 March 1946:
Departs Hakata.
11 March 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
12 March 1946:
Departs Shanghai.
15 March 1946:
Arrives at Hakata.
18 March 1946:
Departs Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
22 March 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
25 March 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
26 March 1946:
Departs Hakata.
28 March 1946:
Arrives at Shanghai. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
31 March 1946:
Arrives at Hakata.
14 April 1946:
Enters dockyard at Tamano for repairs.
4 May 1946:
Repairs are completed.
9 May 1946:
Departs Sasebo.
12 May 1946:
Arrives at Korojima near Tsientsin. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
15 May 1946:
Departs Korojima.
18 May 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
24 May 1946:
Departs Hakata.
27 May 1946:
Arrives at Korojima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
31 May 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
5 June 1946:
Departs Hakata.
9 June 1946:
Arrives at Korojima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated and departs later that day.
12 June 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
19 June 1946:
Departs Hakata.
22 June 1946:
Arrives at Korojima. Embarks troops and passengers to be repatriated.
24 June 1946:
Departs Korojima.
27 June 1946:
Arrives at Hakata. Disembarks troops and passengers.
17 July 1946:
Enters dockyard at Sasebo for repairs.
31 July 1946:
Repairs are completed.
3 October 1947:
Tsingtao (Qingdao), China. Ceded to the Republic of China (ROC) as a war reparation. Renamed YUNG CHING
1949:
Taiwan. Registered in the ROC Navy. Rearmed with American-made weapons. Serves as a light frigate.
1964:
Discarded. Dismantled and scrapped.

Authors' Notes:
[1] Allied occupation forces were responsible for the return of six million Japanese military personnel and civilians from Japan's defunct far-flung Empire. In addition, there were over a million Korean and about 40,000 Chinese prisoners and conscript laborers and approximately 7,000 Formosans and 15,000 Ryukyu Islanders to be repatriated.
Some Allied and many former IJN warships, from aircraft carriers to kaibokan, were used to facilitate the enormous repatriation effort. Japanese vessels and crews were used to the fullest extent possible to conserve Allied manpower and accelerate demobilization. Each ex-IJN ship first had to be demilitarized; guns removed or, in the case of large warships, barrels severed, ammunition landed, and radar and catapults removed, if fitted. Repatriation of the Chinese on Japanese ships began early in October from Hakata, but U.S. guard detachments had to be placed on many ships to prevent disorder because the Japanese crews could not control the returnees.
Japanese-run repatriation centers were established at Kagoshima, Hario near Sasebo, and Hakata near Fukuoka. Other reception centers were established and operated at Maizuru, Shimonoseki, Sasebo, Senzaki, Kure, Uraga, Yokohama, Moji and Hakodate. Allied line and medical personnel supervised the centers. Incoming Japanese were sprayed with DDT, examined and inoculated for typhus and smallpox, provided with food, and transported to his final destination in Japan.
Thanks go to John Whitman of the USA for info on CNO intercepts of Japanese messages and to Gilbert Casse of France for general assistance.
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall

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