Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Apo Umambo hweJapan hwakanga huri nyika yakabatana panguva iyoyo, pana 20 November 1917, bhatiri paFremantle Harbour rakapfura gomba sezvo ngarava yeJapan "Yahagi". Goko racho rakawira mukati me"Yahagi". Clare, somutungamiriri weWestern Australian Naval District akaedza kutsanangura chiitiko chacho, asi mamiriro acho ezvinhu akava ezvematongerwe enyika nokuda kwezvikonzero zvinoverengeka. Nepo mauto eJapane akanga ambotora koloni yeGermany yeTsingtao
, uye Imperial Japanese Navy yakanga yagara ichiperekedza ngarava dzeAustralia nedzimwe dzakabatana muPacific, Indian Ocean neMediterranean theaters, pamwe nekuita mabasa ekufambisa, mamwe hurumende dzeAllied, kusanganisira iyo yeAustralia, yakachengetedza kurambidzwa kwepamutemo kwekupinda kune vanhu vevasiri vekuEurope, pasi pemitemo ine rusarura; mune dzidziso, vagari vese veJapan vakakanganiswa nemitemo iyi. Mukuwedzera, hurumende dzeAllied dzakanga dzadzivisa zvikumbiro zveJapan zvokubatanidzwa mumibato yokurwisana yapamberi mumamwe mativi enyika. Uyezve, vezvematongerwe enyika nemapepanhau munyika dzeAllied vakarerutsa mupiro weJapan. Admiral Kazuyoshi Yamaji, uyo akanga aramba tsananguro yaClare, pakupedzisira akagamuchira kukumbira ruregerero kwakakwana.