Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Nepo Umambo hweJapan hwakanga huri nyika yakabatana panguva iyoyo, musi wa20 November 1917, bhatiri raiva paFremantle Harbour rakapfura gomba sezvo ngarava yokuJapan yainzi "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 ambotanga
Vakanga vatora koloni yeGerman yeTsingtao, uye Imperial Japanese Navy yakanga yagara ichiperekedza ngarava dzeAustralia nedzimwe dzakabatana muPacific, Indian Ocean neMediterranean, pamwe nekuita mabasa ekufambisa, dzimwe hurumende dzeAllied, kusanganisira iyo yeAustralia, yakachengetedza kurambidzwa kwepamutemo kwekupinda kwevanhu vasiri veEuropean, 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.