Fuji (battleship)

Fuji (battleship) was the lead ship of her class of pre-dreadnought battleships built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the 1890s. Designed by Sir William Henry White and constructed in England, she was Japan's first modern battleship, forming the core of the fleet that would challenge Imperial Russia. *Fuji* served with distinction in the Russo-Japanese War, notably at the Battle of the Yellow Sea and the decisive Battle of Tsushima.

Design and description

The design for *Fuji* and her sister ship *Yashima* was based on the British *Royal Sovereign*-class, but with reduced dimensions to suit Japanese requirements and dockyard limitations. The ship had an overall length of , a beam of , and a draft of . She displaced at normal load and was powered by two vertical triple-expansion steam engines driving twin propellers, with steam provided by ten cylindrical boilers. Her main armament consisted of four Elswick 12-inch (305 mm) guns mounted in two twin-gun turrets, one forward and one aft. Secondary armament included ten QF 6-inch (152 mm) guns and numerous smaller quick-firing and Hotchkiss guns for defense against torpedo boats.

Construction and career

*Fuji* was ordered as part of the 1894 Naval Expansion Programme following the First Sino-Japanese War. Her keel was laid down at the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company in Leamouth, London, on 1 August 1894. She was launched on 31 March 1896, in a ceremony attended by the Japanese Minister to the Court of St James's, Katō Takaaki. After completion on 17 August 1897, she departed England under the command of Captain Arima Shinichi and arrived at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal in October, becoming the most powerful warship in the Imperial Japanese Navy at the time. She was assigned to the Standing Fleet, the navy's primary combat unit.

Operational history

*Fuji*'s early service included training and fleet maneuvers. Her first major conflict was the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905. As part of the 1st Division of the First Fleet, she participated in the Battle of Port Arthur and the subsequent Blockade of Port Arthur. During the Battle of the Yellow Sea on 10 August 1904, *Fuji* scored several hits on the Russian flagship *Tsesarevich*. Her most famous engagement was the Battle of Tsushima on 27–28 May 1905. Under the command of Captain Matsumoto Kazu, *Fuji* delivered crippling fire that contributed to the sinking of the Russian battleship *Borodino*. She sustained only minor damage herself throughout the battle.

Fate

After the war, *Fuji* was reclassified as a coastal defence ship in 1910 and later as a second-class coastal defense ship in 1912. During World War I, she served as a training vessel for naval academy cadets and for gunnery practice. She was disarmed in 1922 under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty and converted into a stationary barracks ship at Yokosuka Naval District. Following World War II, her hulk was seized by the occupation authorities. On 18 August 1948, the former battleship was towed to Izu Ōshima and used as a target ship for United States Navy aircraft, finally sinking in Sagami Bay.

Legacy

As Japan's inaugural modern battleship, *Fuji* represented a monumental leap in naval technology and strategy for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Her performance at Tsushima cemented her legendary status and provided invaluable operational experience that influenced subsequent Japanese battleship design, including the *Satsuma*-class and *Kawachi*-class. The ship's name was later revived for the *Fuji*, an icebreaker and Antarctic research vessel operated by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Category:Battleships of the Imperial Japanese Navy Category:Fuji-class battleships Category:Ships built on the River Thames Category:World War I battleships of Japan Category:Russo-Japanese War battleships of Japan