The was a fleet of the

Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender ...

. It was the main combat fleet of the Japanese Navy and formed the core of a wartime

Combined Fleet The was the main sea-going component of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Until 1933, the Combined Fleet was not a permanent organization, but a temporary force formed for the duration of a conflict or major naval maneuvers from various units norm ...

organization. It was created from the Standing Small-Fleet in 1889. It was split into the 1st Fleet and the 2nd Fleet in 1903.

History

On 24 July 1889 the Fleet Ordinance (Edict No. 100) was enacted as the first independent fleet-related decree of the Japanese Navy, and the fleet was to be composed of three or more warships. On 29 July 1889 the Standing Small-Fleet was reorganized into the Standing Fleet (commander-in-chief: Rear Admiral

Inoue Yoshika Marshal Admiral Viscount was a career naval officer and admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during Meiji-period Japan. Biography Born in what is now part of Kagoshima city, as the son of a ''samurai'' retainer of the Satsuma Domain, Inoue ...

). On 19 June 1894, in response to the deterioration of Japan-China relations, all fleet regulations were revised (Edict No. 71), and torpedo boats and transport vessels were attached to the fleet as specified by the Edict. The edict also stipulated that the staff should be enhanced and that ships could be dispatched outside the patrol areas. On 13 July a Guard Fleet consisting of nine outdated ships and small ships with a flagship Katsuragi was formed, and soon after on 19 July it was renamed the Western Sea Fleet. On the same day a

was formed by the Standing Fleet and the Western Sea Fleet. The commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet was also the commander-in-chief of the Standing Fleet, Vice Admiral

Ito Sukeyuki Ito may refer to: Places * Ito Island, an island of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea * Ito Airport, an airport in the Democratic Republic of the Congo * Ito District, Wakayama, a district located in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan * Itō, Shizuok ...

, and the staff of the Combined Fleet was also the staff of the Standing Fleet. After the end of the

First Sino-Japanese War The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 1894 – 17 April 1895) was a conflict between China and Japan primarily over influence in Korea. After more than six months of unbroken successes by Japanese land and naval forces and the loss of the po ...

the Combined Fleet and the Western Sea Fleet were disbanded on 15 November 1895. On 14 October 1897 the Fleet Ordinance was amended (Edict No. 356) to allow the fleet to consist of two or more warships, including torpedo boat division, mine laying division, and transport vessels. A chief of staff position was also created at this time. On 10 March 1903, during the 4th Great Navy Exercise, the 1st and 2nd Fleets were temporarily formed, and on 10 April 1903 after the exercise, a

fleet review A fleet review or naval review is an event where a gathering of ships from a particular navy is paraded and reviewed by an incumbent head of state and/or other official civilian and military dignitaries. A number of national navies continue to ...

ceremony was held off the coast of Kobe. On 28 December 1903 the Standing Fleet was disbanded and permanently divided into the 1st Fleet and the 2nd Fleet. The last commander-in-chief of the Standing Fleet was Heihachiro Togo.

Organization

29 July 1889, organization at the time of creation * Cruisers ''Naniwa'' (Flagship), ''Takachiho'', ''Takao'', ironclad ''Fusō'', corvettes ''Katsuragi'', ''Yamato'' 19 July 1894, organization as part of the Combined Fleet * Cruisers ''Matsushima'' (Flagship), ''Naniwa'', ''Yoshino'', ''Chiyoda'', ''Itsukushima'', ''Hashidate'', ''Takachiho'', ''Akitsushima'', ironclads ''Hiei'', ''Fusō'' **

Aviso An ''aviso'' was originally a kind of dispatch boat or "advice boat", carrying orders before the development of effective remote communication. The term, derived from the Portuguese and Spanish word for "advice", "notice" or "warning", an '' ...

: ''Yaeyama'' ** Attached warships: ''Tsukushi'', ''Banjō'', ''Atago'', ''Maya'', ''Chōkai'', ''Amagi'' ** Attached transports: ''Yamashiro Maru'', ''Omi Maru'' ** Fleet torpedo boats: ''Kotaka'', 7, 12, 13, 22, 23 **

Torpedo boat tender The torpedo boat tender was a type of warship developed at the end of the 19th century to help bring small torpedo boats to the high seas, and launch them for attack. During the Turko-Russian war in 1877, the Russians requisitioned 19 trade ve ...

: ''Chikushi'' 31 March 1896, organization after the Sino-Japanese War * ''Hashidate'' (Flagship), ''Itsukushima'', ''Chiyoda'', ''Izumi'', ''Takao'', ''Atago'', ''Tenryū'', ''Maya'', ''Yamato'', ''Chokai'', ''Kaimon'', ''Sōkō'' Organization after special inspection on 22 April 1902 * Battleships ''Hatsuse'', ''Fuji'', ''Asahi'' * Cruisers ''Tokiwa'', ''Yakumo'', ''Chihaya'', ''Chitose'', ''Akashi'', ''Miyako'' * ''Asama'', ''Takasago'', ''Akagi'', ''Chikushi, Izumi, Atago'', ''Ōshima'', ''Takao''

Commanders-in-Chief

* Rear Admiral Yoshika Inoue: July 29, 1889- * Rear Admiral Arichi Shinanojo: June 17, 1891- * Rear Admiral Norimichi Aiura: December 12, 1892- * Vice Admiral

: May 20, 1893-* (July 19, 1894-, concurrently serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet) * Vice Admiral Arichi Shinanojo: May 11, 1895-* (concurrently serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet) * Vice Admiral Inoue Yoshika: November 16, 1895- * Vice Admiral Kozo Tsuboi: February 26, 1896- * Vice Admiral Norimichi Aiura: April 9, 1897- * Vice Admiral

Shibayama Yahachi Baron was an admiral in the early Imperial Japanese Navy. Biography Born in Kagoshima, Satsuma domain, (present day Kagoshima prefecture), Shibayama participated as a Satsuma ''samurai'' in the Anglo-Satsuma War in his youth. Although a close fr ...

: October 8, 1897- * Vice Admiral

Samejima Kazunori Baron was an admiral in the early Imperial Japanese Navy. Biography Samejima was born to a samurai family of Satsuma Domain (present-day Kagoshima Prefecture) and served as a Satsuma samurai in the Boshin War of the Meiji restoration. He ent ...

: January 19, 1899- * Vice Admiral Heihachiro Togo: May 20, 1900- * Vice Admiral

Hide Matsuda __NOTOC__ Hide or hides may refer to: Common uses * Hide (skin), the cured skin of an animal * Bird hide, a structure for observing birds and other wildlife without causing disturbance * Gamekeeper's hide or hunting hide or hunting blind, a struc ...

: October 1, 1901- * Vice Admiral

Hidaka Sōnojō Baron was an admiral of the early modern Imperial Japanese Navy, known primarily for his role in the First Sino-Japanese War. Biography Hidaka was the second son of a samurai in the service of the Shimazu clan of Satsuma Domain, and was born in ...

: July 26, 1902- * Vice Admiral Heihachiro Togo: October 19, 1903-December 28, fleet disbanded

Chiefs of Staff

* Captain

: June 19, 1894-* (July 19, 1894-, concurrently serving as Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet) * Captain

Dewa Shigetō Baron was a Japanese admiral in the early days of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Biography Dewa was born as the son of a ''samurai'' of the Aizu domain (present day Fukushima prefecture). As a youth, he enlisted in the ''Byakkotai,'' a reserve unit ...

: December 17, 1894-* Concurrently serving as Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet * Captain

Kamimura Hikonojō Baron was an early Japanese admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy, commanding the IJN 2nd Fleet during the Russo-Japanese War, most notably at the Battle off Ulsan and Tsushima. Biography Born to a ''samurai'' family in the Satsuma Domain (pr ...

: July 25, 1895-* (November 16, 1895, concurrently serving as Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet) * Captain Katsumi Miyoshi: December 27, 1897- * Captain

Kataoka Shichirō Baron was an early admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Biography Early career Born to a ''samurai'' family in the Satsuma domain (present day Kagoshima prefecture), Kataoka entered the 3rd class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 187 ...

: November 2, 1898- * Captain Kitaro Endo: February 1, 1899- * Captain Shigetarō Yoshimatsu: May 21, 1900- * Captain Hayao Shimamura: July 4, 1900- * Captain Hikojiro Ichi: December 6, 1900- * Captain

Katō Tomosaburō Marshal-Admiral Viscount was a career officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy, cabinet minister, and Prime Minister of Japan from 1922 to 1923. Biography Born in Hiroshima, Aki Province (modern Hiroshima Prefecture) to a ''samurai'' family, Ka ...

: June 11, 1902- * Captain Hayao Shimamura: October 27, 1903-December 28, fleet disbanded

References

* 小池猪一編著『図説総覧海軍史事典』国書刊行会、1985年。 * 海軍歴史保存会編『日本海軍史』第1巻、発売:第一法規出版、1995年。 *

Ikuhiko Hata is a Japanese historian. He earned his PhD at the University of Tokyo and has taught history at several universities. He is the author of a number of influential and well-received scholarly works, particularly on topics related to Japan's role ...

(ed.)『日本陸海軍総合事典』第2版、

University of Tokyo Press The is a university press affiliated with the University of Tokyo in Japan. It was founded in 1951, following the post-World War II reorganization of the university. Honors * Japan Foundation: Special Prize, 1990. Location The headquarters of t ...

、2005年。 {{IJN Fleets of the Imperial Japanese Navy Military units and formations established in 1889 Military units and formations disestablished in 1903