Naval History and Heritage Command

Japanese Naval and Merchant Shipping Losses
During World War II by All Causes

Prepared by
The Joint Army-Navy Assessment Committee
NAVEXOS P 468

February 1947

* Where the tonnage of a vessel is only approximately known it is followed by an "e".

Foreword

In January 1943 the Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, and Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Navy agreed that the formation of a joint committee to assess enemy Naval and merchant shipping losses during World War II would be desirable. Accordingly the JOINT ARMY-NAVY ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE was appointed for this purpose. This committee consisted of representatives of the Navy, the Army, and the Army Air Forces, with a joint Army-Navy secretariat. The pertinent paragraph of the joint Army-Navy directive forming the Committee is quoted:

"By agreement between Chief of Staff and Commander-in-Chief, a Committee comprised of 4 Navy and 3 Army members is appointed to meet from time to time at the call of the senior member to study and evaluate reports of loss or damage of enemy Naval and Merchant vessels from all causes, except those cases considered by the Anti-Submarine Warfare Assessment Committee of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Fleet. Findings of the Anti-Submarine Warfare Assessment Committee will be included in the overall evaluation of enemy losses without further review. Periodic reports of the Committee will be submitted jointly to the Chief of Staff and Commander-in-Chief."

Sources used by the Committee for compiling information on Japanese vessel losses have included the following:

Prisoner of War Reports
Captured Enemy Documents
United States and Allied Intelligence Sources
Naval Shipping Control Authority for Japanese Merchant Marine (SCAJAP)
Ariyoshi's Final List (Japanese)
Ariyoshi's List (Japanese)
Shipowners' List (Japanese)
Naval Ministry List (Japanese)
United States Mine Warfare Report
United States and Allied Action Summaries
United States Photographic Intelligence
United States Strategic Bombing Survey Reports

The assessment of losses, unanimously agreed to by all members of the committee, are listed on the following pages. They include:

1. All Naval vessels known or believed to have been lost.
2. All merchant vessels of 500 or more gross tons known or believed to have been lost.

A negligible number of vessels have not been assessed because of insufficient information as to the cause of loss.

[signature - illegible]
Rear Admiral, USN,
Chairman
Joint Army-Navy Assessment Committee

3 February 1947

Graphs of Japanese Shipping Losses

Japanese Naval and Merchant Shipping Losses by the United Nations

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Summaries of Japanese Shipping Losses

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TABLE II

JAPANESE NAVAL AND MERCHANT VESSELS SUNK DURING WORLD WAR II
By
UNITED STATES FORCES

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TABLE III

JAPANESE NAVAL AND MERCHANT VESSELS SUNK DURING WORLD WAR II
By
ALLIED FORCES EXCLUDING UNITED STATES

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TABLE IV

JAPANESE NAVAL AND MERCHANT VESSELS SUNK DURING WORLD WAR II
By
COMBINATION OF UNITED STATES AND ALLIED FORCES. AND MISCELLANEOUS AGENTS

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TABLE V

JAPANESE NAVAL AND MERCHANT VESSELS ASSESSED SUNK DURING WORLD WAR II
By
"PROBABLE" SINKING AGENTS

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JAPANESE NAVAL VESSELS SUNK DURING WORLD WAR II
(Chronological)

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