View source for Japanese escort Kunashiri

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|Ship country= [[Empire of Japan]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Japan|naval}}
|Ship name=''Kunashiri''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder= Nihon Kokan, Tsurumi
|Ship laid down= 1 March 1939
|Ship launched= 6 May 1940
|Ship completed= 
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|Ship commissioned= 3 October 1940
|Ship decommissioned= 
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|Ship struck= 5 November 1945  
|Ship homeport=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate= Wrecked, 4 June 1946
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Ship class= {{sclass|Shimushu|escort ship}}
|Ship displacement= {{convert|870|LT|t|0}}
|Ship length= {{convert|77.7|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam=  {{convert|9.1|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship height=
|Ship draught=  {{convert|3.05|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=
|Ship speed= {{convert|19.7|kn|mph km/h|lk=in}}
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=150
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*3 × [[12 cm/45 10th Year Type naval gun|{{convert|120|mm|in|abbr=on}}/45]] [[Caliber|cal]] DP guns
*Up to 15 × [[Type 96 25&nbsp;mm AT/AA Gun|Type 96 {{convert|25|mm|in|abbr=on}}]] AA guns
*6 × depth charge throwers
*Up to 60 × [[depth charge]]s
*1 × [[Type 97 81 mm infantry mortar|{{convert|81|mm|in|abbr=on}}]] mortar 
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{{nihongo|'''''Kunashiri'''''|国後}} was one of four {{sclass|Shimushu|escort ship}}s built for the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] during World War II.

==Background and description==
The Japanese called these ships  ''[[Kaibōkan]]'', "ocean defence ships", (''Kai'' = sea, ocean, ''Bo'' = defence, ''Kan'' = ship), to denote a multi-purpose vessel. They were initially intended for patrol and fishery protection, [[minesweeping]] and as convoy escorts. The ships measured {{convert|77.72|m|ftin|sp=us}} [[Length overall|overall]], with a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|9.1|m|ftin|sp=us}} and a [[draft (ship)|draft]] of {{convert|3.05|m|ftin|sp=us}}.<ref>Chesneau, p. 205</ref> They displaced {{convert|860|LT|t|sp=us|disp=flip}} at [[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard]] load and {{convert|1020|LT|t|sp=us|disp=flip}} at deep load. The ships had two [[diesel engine]]s, each driving one [[propeller shaft]], which were rated at a total of {{convert|4200|bhp|lk=in}} for a speed of {{convert|19.7|kn|lk=in}}. The ships had a range of {{convert|8000|nmi|lk=in}} at a speed of {{convert|16|kn}}.<ref name=j8>Jentschura, Jung & Mickel, p. 186</ref>

The main armament of the ''Shimushu'' class consisted of three [[Type 3 120 mm 45 caliber naval gun|Type 3 {{convert|120|mm|adj=on|1|sp=us}} guns]] in single mounts, one [[superfiring]] pair aft and one mount forward of the [[superstructure]]. They were built with four [[Type 96 25 mm AT/AA Gun|Type 96 {{convert|25|mm|adj=on|1|sp=us}}]] anti-aircraft guns in two twin-gun mounts, but the total was increased to 15 guns by August 1943. A dozen [[depth charge]]s were stowed aboard initially, but this was doubled in May 1942 when their minesweeping gear was removed.<ref name=j8/> The anti-submarine weaponry later rose to 60 depth charges with a [[Type 97 81 mm infantry mortar|Type 97 {{convert|81|mm|adj=on|1|sp=us}} trench mortar]] and six depth charge throwers.

==Construction and career==
In July 1943 ''Kunashiri'' participated in the [[Aleutian Islands Campaign|Kiska evacuation]] aspect of [[Operation Ke]]. During the war ''Kunashiri'' operated mostly in the [[Kuriles]] and [[Hokkaido]] area escorting various convoys. On 28 July 1944. she was reported "damaged" by unknown cause- {{USS|Tambor|SS-198|6}}. After the end of World War II ''Kunashiri'' returned to [[Sasebo, Nagasaki|Sasebo]] and was later used by the Allied Repatriation Service. On 4 June 1946 while en route to [[Uraga, Kanagawa|Uraga]] the vessel ran aground and was later abandoned. In attempts to rescue her, the {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Kamikaze|1922|2|up=yes}} also ran aground, while at the same time, she too was repatriating Japanese troops from [[Singapore]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/Kunashiri_t.htm |title=IJN Escort Kunashiri: Tabular Record of Movement |website=combinedfleet.com |access-date=27 August 2015}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
* {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor1-first=Roger|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich, UK|year=1980|isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
*{{cite book| last = Jentschura| first = Hansgeorg| first2 = Dieter |last2=Jung|first3=Peter |last3=Mickel| year = 1977| title = Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945| publisher = United States Naval Institute| location = Annapolis, Maryland| isbn = 0-87021-893-X|name-list-style=amp}}

{{Shimushu class escort ship}}
{{1946 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kunashiri}}
[[Category:World War II naval ships of Japan]]
[[Category:Shimushu-class escort ships]]
[[Category:1940 ships]]
[[Category:Ships of the Aleutian Islands campaign]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1946]]
[[Category:Ships built in Japan]]