Kisaragi (1925)

Kisaragi (1925) Kisaragi (1925) was a Japanese Mutsu-class battleship that served in the Imperial Japanese Navy during the interwar period. The ship was designed by Yuzuru Watanabe and constructed at Kure Naval Arsenal in Hiroshima, Japan. Kisaragi was one of two Mutsu-class battleships, the other being Mutsu.

Design and construction

The Mutsu-class battleships were designed to meet the Washington Naval Treaty's limitations, which imposed strict tonnage and armament restrictions on battleships. Kisaragi (1925) and Mutsu were designed with a displacement of 29,000 tonnes and were armed with eight 40 cm/45 Type 94 naval guns, which were the largest guns ever mounted on a Japanese battleship Japanese battleships. The ship's design was overseen by Yuzuru Watanabe, a renowned Japanese naval architect, and was constructed at Kure Naval Arsenal.

Service history

Kisaragi (1925) was laid down on 5 1924 and was launched on 21 February 1925. The ship was commissioned on 17 March 1927 and initially served in the Imperial Japanese Navy's 1st Fleet. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Kisaragi (1925) supported Japanese ground forces during the Battle of Shanghai and Battle of Nanjing. In 1937, the ship underwent a major refit at Kure Naval Arsenal, which included the installation of new anti-aircraft guns.

Loss

On 14 September 1939, Kisaragi (1925) was sunk by an airmine in the Asan Bay, Korea, during a mine laying operation. The ship's sinking resulted in the loss of 1,000 crew members, including the ship's captain, Commander Shinobu Tsukasaki. The wreck of Kisaragi (1925) was discovered in 2017 by a team of South Korean and Japanese researchers.

Legacy

The sinking of Kisaragi (1925) had significant implications for the Imperial Japanese Navy, highlighting the vulnerability of battleships to airmines and air attacks. The incident influenced the development of Japanese naval doctrine during World War II, with a greater emphasis on air defense and mine countermeasures. Today, Kisaragi (1925) is remembered as one of the most notable battleships in Japanese naval history, and its legacy continues to be studied by naval historians and military strategists. Category:1925 ships Category:Imperial Japanese Navy battleships Category:Ships sunk by mines Category:Maritime incidents in 1939