The Japanese destroyer Hayate was one of nine Kamikaze-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). During the Pacific War, she was sunk by American coast-defense guns during the Battle of Wake Island in December 1941, the first Japanese warship to be lost during the war. Only a single man of her crew was rescued.
Kisaragi was one of twelve Mutsuki-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s. Retreating after the sinking of destroyer Hayate by American coast-defense guns during the Battle of Wake Island in December 1941, Kisaragi was sunk with all hands by American aircraft. She had the distinction of being the second major Japanese warship lost during the war . She should not be confused with an earlier World War I-period Kamikaze-class destroyer with the same name.
The Minekaze class was a class of fifteen 1st-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Obsolete by the beginning of the Pacific War, the Minekaze-class ships were then relegated to mostly secondary roles, serving throughout the war as patrol vessels, high speed transports, target control vessels, and as kaiten carriers. Most ultimately were lost to U.S. and British submarines. The basic design of the Minekaze was used for the next three classes of Japanese destroyers, a total of 36 ships.
The Japanese destroyer Minekaze was the lead ship of the Minekaze-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the late 1910s. The ship served in the Second Sino-Japanese War during the 1930s and spent the Pacific War on escort duties in Japanese waters and the East China Sea. She was sunk by an American submarine in early 1944 near Formosa.
The Shiratsuyu-class destroyers were a class of ten 1st Class destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy in service before and during World War II, during which all ten were sunk.
The Japanese destroyer Sawakaze was one of 15 Minekaze-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the late 1910s. The ship served as a plane guard and played a minor role in the Second Sino-Japanese War during the 1930s. She spent most of the Pacific War on escort duties in Japanese waters before she became an anti-submarine training ship in 1944. Sawakaze survived the war and was broken up for scrap in 1948.
The Japanese destroyer Okikaze was one of 15 Minekaze-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during the late 1910s. The ship served as a plane guard and played a minor role in the First Shanghai incident during the 1930s. She spent most of the Pacific War on escort duties in Japanese waters until she was sunk by an American submarine in early 1943.
The Japanese destroyer Hakaze was one of 15 Minekaze-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the late 1910s. During the Pacific War, she supported Japanese operations during the Malayan, Dutch East Indies, and Guadalcanal Campaigns. The ship was sunk by an American submarine in early 1943.
The Japanese destroyer Yakaze was one of 15 Minekaze-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the late 1910s. A decade later, the ship served as a plane guard. During the Pacific War, she was initially as the mother ship for a remotely controlled target ship and then became a radio-controlled target ship herself in 1942. Although she was badly damaged in mid-1945, Yakaze survived the war and was scrapped in 1948.
The Mutsuki-class destroyers were a class of twelve destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy. All were given traditional poetic names of the months of the year by the Lunar calendar or phases of the moon. Some authors consider the Kamikaze and Mutsuki-class destroyers to be extensions of the earlier Minekaze class.
The Wakatake-class destroyers were a class of eight second-class destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
Japanese destroyers of World War II included some of the most formidable destroyers of their day. This came as a surprise to the Allies, who had generally underestimated Japanese technical capabilities. The Japanese had reassessed their naval needs in the mid-1920s and, placing an emphasis on ship and weapons technology and night-fighting expertise, developed a completely new destroyer design. Subsequent development from one destroyer class to the next was not, however, a smooth progression. Aside from the usual changes arising from experience, serious design faults also came to light and naval treaties imposed restrictions. As a result, the early "Special Type" destroyers required significant changes and the specifications of subsequent classes was reduced in one way or another. Naval treaties were later abrogated in 1937 and so destroyer development continued without regard to limits.
The Japanese destroyer Shimakaze was one of 15 Minekaze-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the late 1910s. The ship was converted into a patrol boat in 1940 and then into a destroyer transport the next year. After the start of the Pacific War, she participated in the Philippines Campaign in late 1941, the Dutch East Indies campaign in early 1942 and played a minor role in the Battle of Midway in mid-1942 before she was sunk by an American submarine in early 1943.
The Japanese destroyer Nadakaze was one of 15 Minekaze-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the late 1920s. The ship was converted into a patrol boat in 1940 and then into a destroyer transport the next year. After the start of the Pacific War, she participated in the Philippines Campaign in late 1941, the Dutch East Indies campaign in early 1942 and played a minor role in the Battle of Midway in mid-1942. She was sunk by a British submarine in mid-1945.
The Japanese destroyer Tsuga (栂) was one of 21 Momi-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the late 1910s. She spent most of the Pacific War patrolling and escorting convoys in and around Chinese waters, during which the ship participated in the Battle of Hong Kong in December 1941. Tsuga was sunk by American carrier aircraft in early 1945.
The Japanese destroyer Kiku (菊) was one of 21 Momi-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the late 1910s. She was converted into a patrol boat in 1940 and spent the Pacific War on escort duties, mostly in Japanese waters. The ship was sunk by American carrier aircraft in early 1944.
The Japanese destroyer Kuri (栗) was one of 21 Momi-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the late 1910s. She struck a mine off of Pusan, Korea, in October 1945 and was subsequently stricken from the naval list.
The Japanese destroyer Fuji (藤) was one of 21 Momi-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the late 1910s. She was converted into a patrol boat in 1940 and was surrendered to the Netherlands in July 1946 at Surabaya; she was finally scrapped on August 10, 1946.
The Japanese destroyer Tade (蓼) was one of 21 Momi-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the late 1910s. She was converted into a patrol boat in 1940 and was sunk South of Yonaguni by USS Seawolf on 23 April 1943.
The Japanese destroyer Hasu (蓮) was one of 21 Momi-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the late 1910s. After serving for 23 years and throughout the Pacific War, she was retired 12 October 1945 and scuttled as breakwater in Fukui in 1946.
Imperial Japanese Navy 
