Harusame - class destroyer The was a class of seven torpedo boat destroyer s ( TBDs ) of the Imperial Japanese Navy . The " Harusame " - class of destroyers were the first destroyers to be built in Japan . Background . The " Harusame " - class destroyers were part of the 1894 Imperial Japanese Navy ten - year expansion and modernization plan for based on lessons learned in the First Sino - Japanese War . In the second phase of this plan , from fiscal 1897 , after 12 destroyers had been imported from the United Kingdom , budget cutbacks reduced the number of new vessels to only four more ( two each from the " Akitsuki " and " Shirakumo " - classes . In fiscal year 1900 , the Imperial Japanese Navy decided to cancel plans for a torpedo boat tender , which freed funds to purchase four additional destroyers . Likewise , in fiscal 1903 , the cancellation of six planned utility vessels freed funds to produce an additional three destroyers . In order to cut costs and to help develop the Japanese shipbuilding industry , it was decided to construct all seven of the new destroyers at Japanese yards . The first four were built at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal , and the remaining three at the Kure Naval Arsenal . Design . The " Harusame " - class ships attempted to incorporate the best features of the existing destroyer designs in the Navy ' s inventory . The bow design and front half of the vessel was substantially identical to the previous Yarrow - built " Ikazuchi " - class , whereas the aft section was a copy of the previous Thornycroft - built " Murakumo " - class . Externally , the design retained the four - smokestack s of the " Ikazuchi " , and the improved rudder design of the " Akitsuki " – class . The main design issue was with the coal - fired triple expansion steam engines , which copied the design of the Yarrow water - tube boilers . As with the " Ikazuchi " - class , the rated power was 7 , 000 shp ; however , problems with quality of the materials and construction meant that actual maximum power was considerably less . Armament was the similar to the previous " Ikazuchi " and " Murakumo " classes ; i . e . two QF 12 pounder on a bandstand on the forecastle , four QF 6 pounder Hotchkiss ( two sided abreast the conning tower , and two sided between the funnels and two single tubes for torpedo es . Operational history . All of the " Harusame " - class destroyers were completed in time to be used in combat during the Russo - Japanese War of 1904 - 1905 , with the final three vessels completed just in time to take part in the crucial final Battle of Tsushima . " Hayatori " was lost after striking a naval mine during the conflict off of Port Arthur . " Harusame " was lost in 1911 after running aground in Matoya Bay in Mie Prefecture , Japan . On 1912 - 08 - 28 , the remaining five vessels were derated to third - class destroyers and were removed from front line combat service . However , all five served again during World War I , albeit in minor roles . All five surviving vessels were converted to auxiliary minesweepers on 1922 - 04 - 01 , but were used for only a year until converted to unarmed utility vessels , and were then subsequently scrapped in 1924 or 1926 .