Nara (楢, "Oak") was one of 18 Matsu-class escort destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II.

Designed for ease of production, the Matsu class was smaller, slower, and more lightly armed than previous destroyers, as the IJN intended them for second-line duties like escorting convoys, releasing the larger ships for missions with the fleet.

The accuracy of the Type 89 guns was severely reduced against aircraft because no high-angle gunnery director was fitted.

[2][6] Authorized in the late 1942 by the Modified 5th Naval Armaments Supplement Program,[7] Nara was laid down by Fujinagata Shipyards on 10 June 1944 in its Osaka facility and launched on 12 October.

The ship was turned over to Allied forces there at the time of the surrender of Japan on 2 September and was stricken from the navy list on 30 November.