This class consists of IMIZU, WAYO, RYUKO, BOKUYO, MEIWA, AIYO, HISASHIMA, MASASHIMA, KANAYAMASAN, SHOEI, HEIJO, KEIJO, TAIKOKU, HASSHU (YASHIMA) and NICHINAN MARUs completed between Apr ‘40 and Dec ’42 for various shipping companies. HISASHIMA and MASASHIMA MARUs remainded under civilian control. AIYO and NICHINAN MARU were requisitioned by the IJA and served as Army transports. The others were requisitioned by the IJN, WAYO MARU being first converted to an auxiliary water tanker, later rerated an auxiliary transport, IMIZU MARU being first converted to an auxiliary minesweeper tender, later rerated an auxiliary transport, RYUKO and KANAYAMASAN MARUs being converted to auxiliary transports, HEIJO and KEIJO being converted to auxiliary gunboats, BOKUYO, SHOEI and MEIWA MARUs serving as general requisitioned transports. All were sunk between Aug ’42 and Mar ’45 from various causes.
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