The turbines were designed to produce 38,500 shaft horsepower (28,700 kW), which would propel the ships at 37.3 knots (69.1 km/h; 42.9 mph).

[4] Asanagi, built at the Fujinagata Shipyards in Osaka, was laid down on 5 March 1923, launched on 21 April 1924 and completed on 29 December 1924.

While patrolling out of Lae on 10 March, she suffered medium damage from strafing attacks, forcing a return to Sasebo for repairs by April.

During the Battle of the Coral Sea from 7–8 May 1942, Asanagi was assigned to the Operation Mo invasion force for Port Moresby on New Guinea.

While making troop landings at Buna, Asanagi suffered damage by grounding on a coral reef while maneuvering to escape an air raid, and was forced to return to Yokosuka for repairs.

She spent the remainder of September through November 1943 on patrols and escort duty in the central Pacific, and between Truk, Rabaul and the Japanese home islands.

On her return from Saipan to Japan on 20 May 1944, the destroyer was torpedoed and sunk 200 miles (320 km) west-northwest of Chichijima in the Ogasawara Islands at coordinates 28°20′N 138°57′E / 28.333°N 138.950°E / 28.333; 138.950 by the submarine USS Pollack.