Magane Maru was laid down on 14 December 1939 at the shipyard of Harima Zosensho at the behest of shipping company, Nihon Kaiun.

[3] On 5 September 1941, she was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy and converted to an auxiliary minelayer/gunboat under Reserve Lieutenant Maniwa Kenji (間庭建爾).

[2] In December 1941, she was assigned to the 7th Base Force, Gunboat Division 10 of the 5th Fleet under Lieutenant Commandeer Sasaki Heiji (佐々木丙二)(jp).

[3] On 10 April 1942, she was detached from Gunboat Division 10[3] and attached to the Adak-Attu invasion force under Rear Admiral Sentarō Ōmori during the Aleutian Islands campaign.

[3] On 24 January 1944, she was attacked and sunk by the American submarine USS Snook about 175 miles northwest of Chichi Jima (29°49′N 140°08′E / 29.817°N 140.133°E / 29.817; 140.133)[3] (Japanese sources indicate 30°06′N 141°19′E / 30.100°N 141.317°E / 30.100; 141.317).