List of destroyers of Japan

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers.

The Yarrow shipyards, builder of the parts for the Kotaka, "considered Japan to have effectively invented the destroyer".

(both ships loaned from the Royal Navy from June 1917 to 1919) From 1919 onwards, a series of destroyers were built regularly in Japan.

(Warabi lost in August 1927; Momi, Kaya and Nashi scrapped by 1940, leaving 17 which served in the Pacific War) The total of 8 excludes 5 cancelled in 1922.

[6] The total of 12 excludes 1 uncompleted (Michitsuki) and 3 cancelled; 21 intended further ships were never ordered.

DD-181 Asakaze after being transferred to the JMSDF
JS Asahi , one of the newest ships of the JMSDF.
JDS Amatsukaze , Japan's first guided missile destroyer.
JS Maya , the latest DDG built by Japan.
JS Haruna , design as the center piece of the JMSDF fleet.
Izumo -class helicopter destroyer (carrier), the largest class of ships built by Japan since WW2 .
JDS Wakaba , the only ship that serve both the IJN and the JMSDF.
Abukuma-class, Japan current class of small escorts