Jintsū (神通) was the second vessel completed in the three-ship Sendai-class light cruiser in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), named after the Jinzū River in the Gifu and Toyama prefectures of central Japan.

The Sendai-class vessels were a development of the preceding 5500 ton Nagara-class cruiser, retaining basically the same hull design, engines and main weaponry.

[9] In 1928, Jintsū was assigned to cover landings of Japanese troops in Shandong province during the Jinan incident, and was later based out of Qingdao.

At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Jintsū was based out of Palau and engaged in the invasion of the Mindanao, escorting transports with the IJA 16th Infantry Division and Kure No.

In early February, Jintsū was assigned to the invasion force for Ambon, followed by both Dutch and Portuguese Timor and eastern Java.

[9] During the Battle of the Java Sea on 27 February 1942, Jintsū and her destroyer groups (including DesDiv 7's Ushio, Sazanami, Yamakaze and Kawakaze and DesDiv 16's Yukikaze, Tokitsukaze, Amatsukaze and Hatsukaze) along with the cruisers Nachi, Haguro, and Naka and the destroyer Inazuma, engaged Dutch Rear Admiral Karel W. F. M. Doorman's Strike Force, with the light cruiser HNLMS De Ruyter, cruisers HMS Exeter, USS Houston, light cruisers HMAS Perth, HNLMS Java, destroyers HMS Electra, HMS Encounter, HMS Jupiter, HNLMS Kortenaer, HNLMS Witte de With and old destroyers USS Alden, USS John D. Edwards, USS John D. Ford and USS Paul Jones[9] Floatplanes launched from Jintsū, Naka and Nachi marked Doorman's ships' positions and to target Japanese gunnery.

Tanaka, faced with conflicting orders from the senior officer in the area and his own superior, was further frustrated by poor radio reception which prevented him from contacting either headquarters.

[9] On 23 August, 200 nautical miles (370 km) north of Guadalcanal, Rear Admiral Tanaka's convoy was spotted by a PBY Catalina flying boat.

At 0830, Tanaka received a signal from Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa's Eighth Fleet headquarters directing him to head north to avoid the American task force.

At 1430, Tanaka received a signal from Vice Admiral Tsukahara's 11th Air Fleet headquarters directing him to land troops on Guadalcanal the next day.

Tanaka, faced with yet a second set of conflicting orders, replied that he could not comply because some of his ships were too slow[9] The Battle of the Eastern Solomons occurred over the following two days, 24 August 1942.

[9] On 25 August, 150 nautical miles (278 km) north of Guadalcanal, six USMC Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bombers attacked the Jintsū convoy, sinking one transport and damaging another.

The illumination was fatal, as Jintsū was hit by at least ten radar-directed 6-inch (152 mm) shells from the three Allied cruisers, setting her on fire.

[3] The barrage killed both Rear Admiral Isaki and Captain Sato; shortly afterwards a torpedo hit Jintsū starboard in the aft engine room.

[9] As Captain Zenjirō Shimai of Yukikaze assumed command of the Japanese fleet and counterattacked (sinking Gwin, and damaging Leander and St. Louis), Jintsū broke in two and sank at 07°38′S 157°06′E / 7.633°S 157.100°E / -7.633; 157.100 at 2348 hours.

[9] On 26 April 2019, the crew of RV Petrel announced it had found Jintsu's wreckage near the mouth of Kula Gulf in the Solomon Islands.