Japanese gunboat Nankai (1943)
Nankai ("Japanese": 南海) was a Dutch ship that was seized by Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II and converted into a gunboat. History. She was laid down in 1941 at the Soerabaja Drydock (Droogdok Mij Soerabaja) as an auxiliary minelayer for the benefit of the Gouvernementsmarine and named "Regulus". She was scuttled before completion by Dutch forces on 2 March 1942 after the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies. She was seized by the Japanese, repaired, and launched on 21 May 1943. On 1 November 1943, she was assigned to the Yokosuka Naval District . On 21 September 1944, "Nankai" departed Surabaya, Java escorting transport "Hokkai Maru". On 23 September 1944, "Nankai" and "Hokkai Maru" both strike mines laid by the submarine USS "Bowfin", 15 miles west of Sebuku Island at . leaving both ships crippled. "Nankai" and "Hokkai Maru" were towed and repaired at the No. 102 Naval Construction and Repair Department at Surabaya, Java. On 16 July 1945, while being escorted by No.1-class submarine chaser "CH-1", she was torpedoed and sunk by the USS "Blenny" at , 150 miles west of Surabaya. She was struck from the Navy List on July 30 1945. Japanese