Japanese minelayer Okinoshima
Building. Following the ratification of the London Naval Treaty, the Imperial Japanese Navy decided to retire its existing obsolete minelayers, the former cruisers , and . A replacement was budgeted under the "Maru-1" Supplementary Naval Expansion Budget of 1931. The new vessel was to be of unprecedented size, thus overcoming the shortcomings of previous minelayers in the Japanese inventory in terms of range and capacity. In addition to carrying 600 Type 6 naval mines, the new ship had the same guns as were used on the , and also was equipped with an aircraft catapult, and a Kawanishi E7K  reconnaissance seaplane. "Okinoshima" was launched by the Harima Shipyards (now part of IHI Corporation) in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan on November 14, 1935, and was commissioned into service on 30 September 1936. Operational history. During the late 1930s, "Okinoshima" was assigned as flagship of a destroyer squadron, and made numerous survey missions to the Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands and Marianas in the Japanese South Seas Mandate, seeking potential sites for seaplane bases, and transporting naval mines for future use. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, "Okinoshima" was serving as flagship for Admiral Kiyohide Shima in  Operation "Gi" (the invasion of the Gilbert Islands) and had deployed from Jaluit with a Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) embarked. From 9–10 December, "Okinoshima" supported the Japanese landings on Makin and on Tarawa, and on 24 December, the seizure of Abaiang. "Okinoshima" was at Truk on 1 January 1942. In January 1942, under the overall command of Admiral Sadamichi Kajioka, "Okinoshima" participated in "Operation R" (the invasion of Rabaul) landing Japanese troops at Blanche Bay, Rabaul on the night of 22/23 January 1942. On 1 February, "Okinoshima" was officially reassigned to the South Seas Force. On 5 March, "Okinoshima , under the overall command of Admiral Kuninori Marumo, was assigned to Operation SR" (the invasion of Lae and Salamaua in New Guinea). On 10 March, the invasion force was attacked by United States Navy aircraft from and , with "Okinoshima" suffering light damage. After repairs at Truk, on 28 April "Okinoshima" was appointed flagship for Admiral Shima's Tulagi invasion force, which was part of "Operation Mo" (the invasion of Tulagi and Port Moresby in New Guinea). The Tulagi assault force began their landings on Tulagi on 3 May, with "Okinoshima" successfully landing troops of the Kure 3rd SNLF. However, the  invasion force was attacked on 4 May by aircraft from the USS "Yorktown". Several transports and the destroyer , were sunk and "Okinoshima" suffered from a near miss, which resulted in her being towed to Rabaul for repairs. Fate. On 10 May, "Okinoshima" departed Rabaul as part of "Operation RY", the invasion of Nauru and Ocean Island. On 12 May 1942, off New Ireland, she was hit by two or three torpedoes by American submarine USS "S-42". "Okinoshima" was taken under tow by escorting destroyer , but capsized in St. George's Channel, in the Bismarck Sea at position . Most of the  crew survived. "Okinoshima" was removed from the navy list on 25 May 1942.