Minegumo , Asagumo , Yukikaze , Tokitsukaze , Amatsukaze , Hatsukaze , Yamakaze , Kawakaze , Sazanami , and Ushio ) under the command of Rear Admiral Shoji Nishimura . The Japanese heavy cruisers were much more powerful, armed with ten 8-inch (203 mm) guns each and superb torpedoes. The Exeter Houston