[1][2] The ship was powered by an 8-cylinder, 2-stroke Mitsubishi Sulzer diesel engine rated at 8,000 horsepower (5,966 kW) driving one shaft.

[2] Akagi Maru was built in 1936 at Mitsubishi's shipyard in Nagasaki with the yard number 627 for the Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK).

[1] After completion on 10 September, Akagi Maru sailed for NYK between Japan, Europe and South America until it was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy in November 1941 and converted to an auxiliary cruiser.

Akagi Maru then performed patrol missions in northern waters for most of 1942, operating mainly from Kushiro and Yokosuka.

[3] Beginning on 10 March 1943, Akagi Maru began a troop transport mission, carrying the Fifth Independent Mixed Regiment.

In December, Akagi Maru performed its second trooping mission, carrying units to Wake Island.

The following month on 15 January 1944, Akagi Maru sailed for Wake Island again, but the convoy was intercepted by the submarine USS Sturgeon.

She was escorted by the light cruiser Katori, destroyers Maikaze and Nowaki, and minesweeping trawler Shonan Maru No.