The Kaiyō No. 1-class oceanographic research ship (第一海洋型海洋観測船,, Daiichi Kaiyō-gata Kaiyō-kansokusen) was a class of oceanographic research ship/weather ship of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during World War II. The IJN official designation was 200-ton oceanographic research ship (二〇〇瓲海洋観測船,, 200-ton Kaiyō-kansokusen).
Construction In 1938, the IJN wanted to investigate the weather and ocean currents in a potential future battlefield. Kaiyō No. 1-class ships were built for the purpose. The IJN made Hokkaido Fisheries Research Institute San'yō Maru a sample for the Kaiyō No. 1. All ships were deployed in the Hydrographic Department, and they were directly controlled by the Naval Ministry. Therefore, being government ships, they raised civil ensign, not the naval ensign. The crew were civil servants except for several warrant officers. All sister ships were built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at Shimonoseki shipyard.
Ships in classes
See also Ministry of the Navy of Japan
References
Further reading Monthly Ships of the World No.613, Special issue "All ships of Japan Coast Guard 1948–2003", "Kaijinsha"., (Japan), July 2003 Jirō Kimata, Introductory book of the Japanese small vessels, Kōjinsha (Japan), December 1999 30 year History of Japan Maritime Safety Agency, Policy and Legal Affairs Division-Japan Maritime Safety Agency (JMSA), May 1979 75 year History of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries-Shimonoseki shipyard, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries-Shimonoseki shipyard, 1964 Shizuo Fukui, FUKUI SHIZUO COLLECTION "Japanese Naval Vessels 1869–1945", KK Bestsellers (Japan), December 1994 "Japan Center for Asian Historical Records (JACAR)"., National Archives of Japan Reference code: C08011043700, Ships and boats list Reference code: C08030773600, Data relevant to Daiichi-Kaiyo-maru (No.1) and Daini-Kaiyo-maru (No.2), October 1944
