Kinesaki-class food supply ship
# Kinesaki-class food supply ship

The Kinesaki-class food supply ship (杵埼型給糧艦, Kinesaki-gata kyūryōkan) was a class of four reefer ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during and after World War II. Eleven vessels were planned under the Maru 4 Programme, Maru Rin Programme (Ship #261–263), and Kai-Maru 5 Programme (Ship #5401–5407); however, only four vessels were completed.

## Construction

In 1939, the IJN planned two food supply ships for China Area Fleet under the Maru 4 Programme. One was the 600-ton type Nosaki (initial named Support ship No. 4007), the other the 1,000-ton type Kinesaki (initial named Support ship No. 4006). The Navy then ordered several more ships to the design of the Kinesaki; these became the Hayasaki, Shirasaki, and Arasaki. The Navy intended to order several more ships of this design by 1942, but Japan's worsening situation in the war by this stage led to the abandonment of these plans.

## Service

The Kinesaki served in the Central Pacific Area, the Hayasaki in the Southwest Area, the Shirasaki in the Northeast Area, and the Arasaki in the Southeast Area. They also undertook convoy escort operations. The Kinesaki was sunk in March 1945, while the other ships of the class survived the war.

## Ships in class

| Ship # | Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Fate |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Kinesaki (杵埼) (ex-Nanshin 南進) (ex-Support ship No. 4006) | Ōsaka Iron Works, Sakurajima Factory | 7 March 1940 as Support ship No. 4006 | 27 June 1940 | 30 September 1940 | Renamed Nanshin on 25 October 1940. Renamed Kinesaki on 1 April 1942. Sunk by air raid at Amami Ōshima on 1 March 1945. |
| 261 | Hayasaki (早埼) | Ōsaka Iron Works, Sakurajima Factory | 2 December 1941 | 21 May 1942 | 31 August 1942 | Decommissioned on 5 October 1945. Surrendered to the Soviet Union on 3 October 1947 at Nakhodka. |
| 262 | Shirasaki (白埼) | Ōsaka Iron Works, Sakurajima Factory | 18 May 1942 | 5 November 1942 | 30 January 1943 | Decommissioned on 5 October 1945. Surrendered to the Republic of China on 3 October 1947 at Qingdao, renamed Wu Ling (AKL-311). Decommissioned on 1 May 1970. |
| 263 | Arasaki (荒埼) | Hitachi Zōsen, Sakurajima Factory | 10 November 1942 | 27 February 1943 | 29 May 1943 | Decommissioned on 5 October 1945. Surrendered to the United States on 3 October 1947 at Qingdao, sold to Japan that same day. Transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and renamed Umitaka Maru (海鷹丸) in April 1948. Sold to the Philippines in April 1967. |
| 5401 5402 5403 5404 5405 5406 5407 | Kiyosaki (清埼) Ōsaki (大埼) Hesaki (部埼) Kashizaki (樫埼) Kuresaki (呉埼) Misaki (三埼) Fujisaki (藤埼) | Cancelled on 5 May 1944. | Cancelled on 5 May 1944. | Cancelled on 5 May 1944. | Cancelled on 5 May 1944. | Cancelled on 5 May 1944. |

## Footnotes

* ↑ Senshi Sōsho Vol. 31 (1969), p. 804.
* ↑ Senshi Sōsho Vol. 31 (1969), p. 805.
* ↑ Senshi Sōsho Vol. 88 (1975), p. 37.
* ↑ Senshi Sōsho Vol. 88 (1975), p. 95.
