Kure Naval Arsenal

History

The Kure Naval District was established at Kure, Hiroshima in 1889, as the second of the naval districts responsible for the defense of the Japanese home islands along with the establishment of the navy base, a ship repair facility was also constructed, initially by moving the equipment from the Onohama shipyards near Kobe. Construction was supervised by the French engineer Louis-Émile Bertin. The first warship constructed at Kure, Miyako, was launched in 1897. The "Kure Shipyards" were officially renamed the "Kure Naval Arsenal" in 1903.

Kure developed into one of the largest shipbuilding facilities in the Empire of Japan, capable of working with the largest vessels. The Arsenal included a major steel works (built with British assistance), and also facilities for producing naval artillery and projectiles. The battleships Yamato and Nagato were designed and constructed at Kure.

The facilities of the Kure Naval Arsenal were repeatedly targeted for bombing by the United States Navy during World War II, and over 70% of its buildings and equipment was destroyed.

After the surrender of Japan in 1945, the Kure Naval Arsenal was turned over to civilian hands. It is now owned and operated by Ishikawajima Harima and is one of Japan's few remaining active shipbuilders.

ee also

*Yokosuka Naval Arsenal
*Sasebo Naval Arsenal
*Maizuru Naval Arsenal
*Hiro Naval Arsenal

References

*cite book
last = Hunter
first = Janet
year = 2002
title = The History of Anglo-Japanese Relations, 1600-2000: Volume IV: Economic and Business Relations | publisher = Palgrave Macmillan
location =
id = ISBN 0333791975
*cite book
last = Samuels
first = Richard J.
year = 1996
title = "Rich Nation, Strong Army": National Security and the Technological Transformation of Japan
publisher = Cornell University Press
location =
id = ISBN 0801499941
*cite book
last = Schencking
first = J. Charles
year = 2005
title = Making Waves: Politics, Propaganda, And The Emergence Of The Imperial Japanese Navy, 1868-1922
publisher = Stanford University Press
location =
id = ISBN 0-8047-4977-9
*cite book
last = Sims
first = Richard
year = 1998
title = French Policy Towards the Bakufu and Meiji Japan 1854-1894: A Case of Misjudgement and Missed Opportunities
publisher = RoutledgeCurzon
location =
id = ISBN 1873410611