JS ''Sōryū'' (SS-501) is the first boat of the s. She was commissioned on 30 March 2009.

Operational history

''Sōryū'' was

laid down Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. It is often marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the shipbuilding company and the ultimate owners of the ship. Keel laying is one o ...

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is a Japanese multinational engineering, electrical equipment and electronics corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. MHI is one of the core companies of the Mitsubishi Group and its automobile division is the predecessor of Mitsubishi Mo ...

Kobe Shipyard on 31 March 2005 as the 2900-ton submarine No. 8116, based on the medium-term defense capability development that was planned in 2004. At the launching ceremony on 5 December 2007, she was named ''Sōryū'' and launched, subsequently deploying to

Kure is a port and major shipbuilding city situated on the Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. With a strong industrial and naval heritage, Kure hosts the second-oldest naval dockyard in Japan and remains an important base for the Japan ...

. After leaving Yura Port for confirmation operation after regular inspection before 7:00 am on 8 October 2012, ''Sōryū'' began diving started at 8:47 am. At around 2:18 pm, a petty officer disappeared on duty during the dive. When the ''Sōryū'' surfaced and a search was conducted, he was found to be in the flooded area inside the bridge sail. The Accident Investigation Commission concluded that the seaman

committed suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and subs ...

. On 2 September 2013, while the ''Sōryū'' was anchored at Kure base, an officer attempted to commit suicide in his quarters, using a pistol taken from the boat's weapons locker. Although the suicide attempt was unsuccessful, the officer was left with a serious disability. In 2015, the Maritime Self-Defense Force determined that the cause of the suicide attempt was the assault by a superior officer, and took disciplinary action by suspending the senior officer and those who had tolerated the assault. However, it was reported in various media on 12 January 2016 that the JMSDF had not announced the disposition of their investigation because of ongoing discussions. The parents of the disabled officer announced that they filed a lawsuit in the Yamaguchi District Court in January 2016, seeking damages of 30 million yen against the government. The ''Sōryū'' participated in the Japan-US-India Joint Training (Malabar 2018) exercise held on and around Guam Island from 8 to 16 June 2018. Participating units included JS ''Sōryū'', escort vessels , , , five onboard aircraft, and two P-1 patrol aircraft. On 8 February 2021, ''Sōryū'' collided with commercial bulk carrier ''Ocean Artemis'' about southeast of

Cape Ashizuri is a headland at the southernmost tip of the Japanese island of Shikoku, in the city of Tosashimizu, Kōchi Prefecture. The promontory extends into the Pacific Ocean and is situated within Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park. Above the cape is , whic ...

, when surfacing during a training exercise. The submarine sustained damage to its communications equipment, conning tower, and diving planes, and three Japanese sailors were injured. The commercial vessel suffered no damage or injuries.

Citations

References

*『世界の艦船増刊第66集海上自衛隊全艦艇史』（海人社、2004年）

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sōryū (SS-501) 2006 ships Sōryū-class submarines Ships built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries