Hokkai Maru was laid down on 12 September 1933[3] by Mitsubishi Zosen K.K.

[1][4] Her sister trawlers became stores ships Tōkō Maru No.

[2] She was a fishing trawler until she was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy in October 1937.

On 7 May, 1942 she rescued twenty three survivors from a raft from Auxiliary merchant cruiser Kinjosan Maru, torpedoed and sunk by USS Greenling on the 4th.

[5] On 22 November 1944, she was attacked and sunk by torpedoes fired from the American submarine USS Scabbardfish at (33°20′N 142°00′E / 33.333°N 142.000°E / 33.333; 142.000).