Information on this class has been compiled by Jeff Donahoo

Models of this class:

Standard Displacement: 5,610 tons
Complement: 438

Length: 535’
Beam: 46’6”
Draught: 15’9”

Armament:
7-5.5”/50cal
4-25mm
8-24” torpedo tubes

Armor: 2” side

Machinery: 4 shaft Gihon turbines
Boilers: 12 Kanpon
S.H.P.: 90,000=36 knots
Oil: 1,150 tons
Radius: 9,000 miles @ 10 knots

Ships in Class:

Isuzu
Meaning: River in Mie Prefecture
Builder: Uraga Dock Co. Ltd, Tokyo
Ordered: #7 chu gata junyokan (medium model cruiser)
1917 8-4 Fleet Completion Program
Laid Down: 8/10/20
Launched: 10/29/21
Completed: 8/15/23
Fate: sunk, 4/6/45
Fleet Assignments:
Sentai 15 9/41-4/42
Sentai 16 4/42-9/42
DesRon 2 9/42-1/43
Sentai 16 1/43-9/43
Sentai 14 4/43-3/44
Combined Fleet 3/44-8/44
Sentai 31 8/44-3/45
10th Area Fleet 3/45-4/45
Wartime Commanders:
Capt Ura Koichi 9/41-1/43
Capt Shinoda Kiyohiko 1/43-6/44
Capt Matsuda Gengo 6/44-4/45
Service Notes
1/43-5/43 Major refit #5 and #7 5.5" removed and 2 5" added
11/4/43 light damage by mine off Kavieng
12/5/43 Hit by 3 bombs at Kwajalein
1/44-9/44 Converted to AA cruiser all 5.5" removed and 3 twin 5" added
11/14/44 Hit by 1 torpedo from USS Hake (SS-256) repairs completed 4/1/45
4/6/45 sunk at 0820hrs by USS Gabilan 30 miles north of Soembawa
Island (07.38S 118.09E)

Kinu
Meaning: River in Tochigi Prefecture
Builder: Kawasaki Jyuko Co., Kobe
Ordered: 1918 chu gata junyokan (medium model cruiser)
1920 8-6 Fleet Completion Program
Laid Down: 1/17/21
Launched: 5/29/22
Completed: 11/10/22
Fate: sunk, 10/26/44
Fleet Assignments:
SubRon 4 9/41-3/42
Sentai 16 3/42-10/44
Wartime Commanders:
Capt Kawasaki -10/44
Service Notes
8/43-10/43 Major refit #5 and #7 5.5" removed and 2 5" added
10/26/44 1730hrs sunk 70 miles NNE Iloilo, Panay (11.50N 123.11E) by
US aircraft

Nagara
Meaning: River in Gifu Prefecture
Builder: Sasebo Kaigun Kensho
Ordered: #6 chu gata junyokan (medium model cruiser)
1918 8-4 Fleet Completion Program
Laid Down: 9/9/20
Launched: 4/25/21
Completed: 2/21/22
Fate: sunk, 8/7/44
Fleet Assignments:
Sentai 16 9/41-4/42
DesRon 10 4/42-11/42
DesRon 4 11/42-7/43
Eighth Fleet 8/43-11/43
Fourth Fleet 11/43-5/44
DesRon 11 5/44-8/44
Wartime Commanders:
Capt Naoi Toshio 11/41-7/42
Capt Tarawa Yoshioki 7/42-11/42
Capt Shinoda Katsukiyo 11/42-8/43
Capt Kitamura Masayuki 8/43-4/44
Capt Kondo Shinichi 4/44-5/44
*Capt Nakahara Giichiro 5/44-8/44
Service Notes
11/14/42 sinks USS Cushing
11/15/42 sinks USS Preston
12/42 Major refit #5 5.5" removed
1/44 Major refit #7 5.5" removed and 2 5" added
8/7/44 sunk at 0242hrs by USS Croaker (SS-246) 35 miles south of
Nagasaki (32.09N 129.53E) 348 dead 235 saved

Natori
Meaning: River in Miyagi Prefecture
Builder: Mitsubishi Zosenho, Nagasaki
Ordered: #8 chu gata junyokan (medium model cruiser)
1918 8-4 Fleet Completion Program
Laid Down: 12/14/20
Launched: 2/16/22
Completed: 9/15/22
Fate: sunk, 8/18/44
Fleet Assignments:
DesRon 5 9/41-3/42
Sentai 16 3/42-
DesRon 3 6/44-8/44
Wartime Commanders:

Service Notes
1/9/43 Hit by 2 torpedoes from USS Tautog (SS-199) loosing stern
1/21/43 Hit by bomb while docked. Not fully repaired until 4/44
6/43-3/44 Major refit #5 and #7 5.5" removed and 2 5" added
8/18/44 sunk at 0705hrs by USS Hardhead (SS-365) 250 miles NE of
Surigao Strait (12.29N 128.49E) 330 dead 198 saved

Yura
Meaning: River in Kyoto Prefecture
Builder: Sasebo Kaigun Kensho
Ordered: 1918 chu gata junyokan (medium model cruiser)
1920 8-6 Fleet Completion Program
Laid Down: 5/21/21
Launched: 2/15/22
Completed: 3/20/23
Fate: sunk, 10/25/42
Fleet Assignments:
SubRon 5 11/41-5/42
DesRon 4 5/42-10/42
Wartime Commanders:
Capt Miyoshi Teruhiko 9/41-4/42
Capt Shiro Sato 4/42-10/42
Service Notes
2/13/42 sinks S/S Vyner Brook
2/15/42 sinks S/S Makassar
4/16/42 sinks S/S Banjoewangi
10/18/42 Hit by dud torpedo from USS Growler (SS-207)
10/25/42 sunk at 1830hrs off Cape Astrolobe, Malaita Island (08.15S 159.57E)
by US aircraft