31 during construction, was a Japanese Dai-ichi Taifuku Maru-class cargo ship, torpedoed and sunk on September 21, 1944 by US Navy carrier aircraft.

After that she would serve as her intended role as a Cargo ship, and would do this job well and uneventfully, in 1928 she was sold to the K Line.

[2] In October 1941 Hohuku Maru was Requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Army for use as a Hell ship for the Second World War.

At Borneo, the Hōfuku Maru left the convoy with engine problems, and sailed on to the Philippines, arriving on July 19.

On September 20, 1944, the Hōfuku Maru and 10 other ships formed Convoy MATA-27, and sailed from Manila to Japan.