The Battle of Tsushima, also known in Japan as the Battle of the Sea of Japan, was the final naval battle of the Russo-Japanese War, fought on 27–28 May 1905 in the Tsushima Strait. A devastating defeat for the Imperial Russian Navy, the battle was the only decisive engagement ever fought between modern steel battleship fleets and the first in which wireless telegraphy (radio) played a critically important role. The battle was described by Sir George Clarke as "by far the greatest and the most important naval event since Trafalgar".
The naval history of Japan began with early interactions with states on the Asian continent in the 3rd century BCE during the Yayoi period. It reached a pre-modern peak of activity during the 16th century, a time of cultural exchange with European powers and extensive trade with the Asian continent. After over two centuries of self-imposed seclusion under the Tokugawa shogunate, Japan's naval technologies became outdated compared to Western navies. The country was forced to abandon its maritime restrictions by American intervention with the Perry Expedition in 1854. This and other events led to the Meiji Restoration, a period of frantic modernization and industrialization accompanied by the re-ascendance of the Emperor's rule and colonialism with the Empire of Japan. Japan became the first industrialized Asian country in 1868, by 1920 the Imperial Japanese Navy was the third largest navy in the world and arguably the most modern at the brink of World War II.
Yamaya Tanin was a naval theorist and admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during the early twentieth century. He was a great-grandfather of Japanese Empress Masako through her mother's lineage.
Admiral Nakhimov, was an armoured cruiser in the Imperial Russian Navy during the Russo-Japanese War. She was named after Admiral Pavel Nakhimov.
This is the order of battle of the Japanese and Russian fleets at the Battle of Tsushima on 27–28 May 1905.
Tatsuta (龍田) was an unprotected cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The name Tatsuta comes from the Tatsuta River, near Nara. Tatsuta was used by the Imperial Japanese Navy primarily as an aviso used for scouting, reconnaissance and delivery of priority messages.
The Hitachi Maru Incident was a maritime incident which occurred during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905, in which three Japanese transports were sunk in a Russian commerce raiding sortie by a Vladivostok-based armored cruiser squadron of the Imperial Russian Navy.
I-61 was a Kaidai-class cruiser submarine of the KD4 sub-class built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the 1920s. She sank in an October 1941 collision, just prior to Japan's entry into World War II.
The No. 23 Nittō Maru was a Japanese fishing vessel that in 1941 was requisitioned and assigned to the Rengo Kantai, the Combined Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy, to serve as an early warning coastguard off the coast of Japan during the Second World War.
The Standing Fleet was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was the main combat fleet of the Japanese Navy and formed the core of a wartime Combined Fleet organization. It was created from the Standing Small-Fleet in 1889. It was split into the 1st Fleet and the 2nd Fleet in 1903.
Teragaki Izō was a Vice Admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy. During the Russo-Japanese War, he commanded the Japanese battleship Shikishima during the Battle of Tsushima as a Commander.
Sentō Takenaka was a Japanese Vice Admiral of the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War. He commanded the Japanese cruiser Tsushima during the Battle of Korsakov and the Battle of Tsushima.
Ishibashi Hajime was a Japanese Vice-Admiral of the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War. He primarily commanded the Matsushima, Takasago, and the America Maru throughout both wars and was the Chief Navigator of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
Hikohachi Yamada was a Japanese Vice Admiral of the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War. He was known for being the commander of the Seventh Division of the Third Fleet during the Battle of the Yellow Sea and the Battle of Tsushima.
Sueki Yonemura was a Japanese Vice Admiral the Russo-Japanese War and World War I. He was nicknamed "The God of Navigation" due to the navigational achievements made during his career, serving as the chief navigator of several major battleships.
Murakumo was the lead ship of six Murakumo-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the late 1890s. Murakumo took part in the Japanese response to the Boxer Rebellion (1900), saw action in several major engagements during the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), and served during World War I (1914–1918).
Yūgiri was one of six Murakumo-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the late 1890s. Yūgiri took part in several major engagements during the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905) and served during World War I (1914–1918).
Kagerō was one of six Murakumo-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the late 1890s. Kagerō took part in the Japanese response to the Boxer Rebellion (1900), saw action in several major engagements during the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), and served during World War I (1914–1918).
Shiranui was one of six Murakumo-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the late 1890s. Shiranui took part in several major engagements during the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905) and served during World War I (1914–1918).
Shirakumo was the lead ship of two Shirakumo-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the early 1900s. During the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), she took part in the Battle of Port Arthur in February 1904, the Battle of the Yellow Sea in August 1904, and the Battle of Tsushima in May 1905. During World War I (1914–1918), she participated in the Battle of Tsingtao in 1914.
Japan 
Imperial Japanese Navy 
Vice Admiral
