China Area Fleet

China Area Fleet
Active	20 October 1937 – 9 September 1945
Country	Empire of Japan
Branch	Imperial Japanese Navy
Battle honours	Pacific Theatre of World War II
Commanders
Notable commanders	Shigetarō Shimada Mineichi Koga

The China Area Fleet (支那方面艦隊, Shina Hōmen Kantai) was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy organized after the Battle of Shanghai. It reported directly to the Imperial General Headquarters and had the same organizational level as the Combined Fleet. This article handles their predecessor fleet the Southern Qing Fleet (南清艦隊, Nanshin Kantai), China Expeditionary Fleet (遣支艦隊, Kenshi Kantai) and 1st/2nd Expeditionary Fleet (第一/第二遣外艦隊, Daiichi/Daini Kengai Kantai) also.

#	Commander-in-Chief		Dates		Previous Post	Next Post	Notes
1		Admiral Hasegawa Kiyoshi 長谷川清	20 October 1937	25 April 1938	3rd Fleet	Commander-in-chief Yokosuka Naval District	Remained Commander-in-chief 3rd Fleet for duration of posting.
2		Vice-Admiral Oikawa Koshirō 及川古志郎	25 April 1938	1 May 1940	Director Naval Aviation Bureau	Commander-in-chief Yokosuka Naval District	Also Commander-in-chief 3rd Fleet until 15 November 1939 Promoted to Admiral 15 November 1939
3		Vice-Admiral Shimada Shigetarō 嶋田繁太郎	1 May 1940	1 September 1941	Commander-in-chief Kure Naval District	Commander-in-chief Yokosuka Naval District	Promoted to Admiral 15 November 1940
4		Vice-Admiral Koga Mineichi 古賀峯一	1 September 1941	10 November 1942	Commander-in-chief 2nd Fleet	Commander-in-chief Yokosuka Naval District	Promoted to Admiral 1 May 1942
5		Admiral Yoshida Zengo 吉田善吾	10 November 1942	1 December 1943	Naval Councilor	Naval Councilor
6		Admiral Kondō Nobutake 近藤信竹	1 December 1943	15 May 1945	Naval Councilor	Naval Councilor
7		Vice-Admiral Fukuda Ryōzō 福田良三	15 May 1945	9 September 1945	Commander-in-chief Takao Guard District

• Chief of staff

The 1st China Expeditionary Fleet (第一遣支艦隊, Dai-Ichi Kenshi Kantai) was reorganized from the 3rd Fleet on 15 November 1939. Their role was the guard of the coast in China at first, however, it changed for the guard in the down stream area of the Yangtze River. Describe 3rd Fleet, 1st China Expeditionary Fleet and successor unit the Yangtze River Area Base Force (揚子江方面根拠地隊, Yōsukō Hōmen Konkyochitai) in this section.

• Structure (extract)

Commanders of the 3rd Fleet

	Commander-in-Chief		Dates		Previous Post	Next Post	Notes
1		Vice-Admiral Nomura Kichisaburō 野村吉三郎	2 February 1932	28 June 1932	Commander-in-chief Yokosuka Naval District	Commander-in-chief Yokosuka Naval District	Relieved after being blinded in eye during the Hongkou Park bombing 29 April 1932.
2		Vice-Admiral Sakonji Seizō 左近司政三	28 June 1932	1 December 1932		Commander-in-chief Sasebo Naval District
3		Vice-Admiral Mitsumasa Yonai 米内光政	1 December 1932	15 September 1933	Commander Chinkai Guard District	Attendant Navy General Staff
4		Vice-Admiral Imamura Nobujirō	15 September 1933	15 November 1934		Commander-in-chief Sasebo Naval District
5		Vice-Admiral Hyakutake Gengo 百武源吾	15 November 1934	1 December 1935	Commander-in-chief Maizuru Guard District	Commander-in-chief Sasebo Naval District
6		Vice-Admiral Oikawa Koshirō 及川古志郎	1 December 1935	1 December 1936		Director Naval Aviation Bureau
7		Admiral Hasegawa Kiyoshi 長谷川清	1 December 1936	25 April 1938	Vice-Minister of the Navy	Commander-in-chief Yokosuka Naval District	Also Commander-in-chief China Area Fleet after 20 October 1937
8		Vice-Admiral Oikawa Koshirō 及川古志郎	25 April 1938	15 November 1939	Chief Naval Aviation Bureau	Commander-in-chief China Area Fleet	Also Commander-in-chief China Area Fleet

Commander in chief 1st China Expeditionary Fleet and commander (Yangtze River Area Base Force)

• Chief of staff (3rd Fleet and 1st China Expeditionary Fleet)

The 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet (第二遣支艦隊, Dai-Ni Kenshi Kantai) was reorganized from the 5th Fleet on 15 November 1939. The 5th Fleet was reinforcements for 3rd Fleet and 4th Fleet. Their role was the guard and invasion of South China. The 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet kept appearance of a fleet until the end of war.

• Structure (extract)

	Commander-in-Chief		Dates		Previous Post	Next Post	Notes
1		Vice-Admiral Shiozawa Kōichi 塩沢幸一	1 February 1938	15 December 1938	Attendant Navy General Staff	Director Navy Technical Bureau
2		Vice-Admiral Kondō Nobutake 近藤信竹	15 December 1938	29 September 1939		Attendant Navy General Staff
3		Vice-Admiral Takasu Shirō 高須四郎	29 September 1939	15 November 1939	Headmaster Naval War College	Commander-in-chief 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet

• Chief of staff

The 3rd China Expeditionary Fleet (第三遣支艦隊, Dai-San Kenshi Kantai) was reorganized from the 4th Fleet on 15 November 1939. The 4th Fleet was reinforcements for 3rd Fleet. Their role was the guard in Bohai Sea. Describe 4th Fleet and 3rd China Expeditionary Fleet in this section. The 3rd China Expeditionary Fleet was specialization to guard unit for Qingdao and become extinct.

• Structure (extract)

Commanders of the 4th Fleet

Commander-in-Chief			Dates		Previous Post	Next Post	Notes
1		Vice-Admiral Toyoda Soemu 豊田副武	20 October 1937	15 November 1938		Commander-in-chief 2nd Fleet
2		Vice-Admiral Hibino Masaharu	15 November 1938	15 November 1939

Commanders of the 3rd China Expeditionary Fleet

• Chief of staff

Describe about pre-China Area Fleet in this section. The Southern Qing Fleet, China Expeditionary Fleet, 1st Expeditionary Fleet and 2nd Expeditionary Fleet were ancestor of China Area Fleet.

The Southern Qing Fleet (南清艦隊, Nanshin Kantai) was organized after the Russo-Japanese War. They were reinforced by Xinhai Revolution in 1911, however, Beiyang Government declared neutrality in World War I. All gunboats were detained, and Southern Qing Fleet became extinct before long.

• Structure (extract)

• Commander

• Chief of staff

The 1st Expeditionary Fleet (第一遣外艦隊, Dai-Ichi Kengai Kantai) was reorganized on 9 August 1919 from China Expeditionary Fleet (遣支艦隊, Kenshi Kantai). Their ancestor was 7th Division (第七戦隊, Dai-Nana Sentai) under World War I. They became 11th Division only for gunboats and became extinct.

• Structure (extract)

• Commander

The 2nd Expeditionary Fleet (第二遣外艦隊, Dai-Ni Kengai Kantai) was organized on 16 May 1927 for reinforcements for 1st Expeditionary Fleet. Their role was the guard of Northern China.

• Structure (extract)

• Commander

• Naval Minister's Secretariat/Ministry of the Navy (keep by "Japan Center for Asian Historical Records (JACAR)"., National Archives of Japan)
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  • Vessels boat service list, each volume
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• The Japanese Modern Historical Manuscripts Association, Organizations, structures and personnel affairs of the Imperial Japanese Army & Navy, University of Tokyo Press, 1971 ISBN 978-4-13-036009-8
• The Maru Special series each volume, "Ushio Shobō". (Japan)
• Ships of the World series each volume, "Kaijinsha"., (Japan)