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With the entire Japanese force now en route to Midway and the Aleutians I thought I'd take a moment to post a composite of the Japanese force that is about to be involved in what I consider the most important naval battle in naval history. I don't think that many really understand just how large this attacking force was and just what a near thing this really was for the U.S. Navy.

Combined Fleet

MAIN FORCE (First Fleet) - Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto

MAIN BODY - Admiral Yamamoto

BATTLESHIP GROUP (BatDiv 1), Admiral Yamamoto

Yamato, Captain Gihachi Takayanagi
Nagato, Captain Hideo Yano
Mutsu, Captain Teijiro Yamazumi

CARRIER GROUP, Captain Kaoru Umetani

Hosho (CVL), Captain Umetani

Air Unit (8 bombers), Lieutenant Yoshiaki Irikiin

Yukaze (DD), Lieutenant Commander Shizuka Kajimoto

SPECIAL FORCE, Captain Kaku Harada

Chiyoda (seaplane carrier), Captain Harada
Nisshin (seaplane carrier), Captain Katsumi Komazawa
* Both the Chiyoda and the Nisshin were serving as tenders and carried midget submarines for this operation

SCREEN (DesRon 3), rear Admiral Shintaro Hashimoto

Sendia (CL, flagship), Captain Nobue Morishita
DesDiv 11, Captain Kiichiro Shoji

Fubuki, commander Shizuo Yamashita
Shirayuki, Commander Taro Sugahara
Hatsuyuki, Lieutenant Commander Junnari Kamiura
Mukakumo, Commander Hideo Higashi

DesDiv 19, Captain Ranji Oe

Isonami, commander Ryokichi Sugama
Uranami, Commander Tsutomu Hagio
Shikinami, Commander Akifumi Kawahashi
Ayanami, Commander Eiji Sakuma

1ST SUPPLY UNIT, Captain Shigeyasu Nishioka

Naruto (oiler), Captain Nishioka
Toei Maru (oiler)

GUARD FORCE (Aleutians Screening), Vice Admiral Shiro Takasu, in Hyuga

BATTLESHIP GROUP (BatDiv 2), Vice Admiral Takasu

Hyuga, Captain Chiaki Matsuda
Ise, Captain Isamu Takeda
Fuso, Captain Mitsuo Kinoshita
Yamashiro, Captain Gunji Kogure

SCREEN, Rear Admiral Fukuji Kishi

CruDiv 9, Rear Admiral Kishi

Kitakami (CL, flagship), Captain Saiji Norimitsu
Oi (CL), Captain Shigeru Narita

DesDiv 20, Captain Yuji Yamada

Asagiri, Commander Nishaburo Maekawa
Yugiri, Captain Masayoshi Motokura
Shirakumo, Commander Yoyoji Hitomi
Amagiri, Captain Buichi Ashida

DesDiv 24, Captain Yasuji Hirai

Umikaze, Commander Nagahide Sugitani
Yamakazi, Commander Shuichi Hamanaka
Kawakazi, Commander Kazuo Wakabayashi
Suzukaze, Commander Kazuo Shibayama

DesDiv 27, Captain Matake Yoshimura

Ariake, Commander Shoichi Yoshida
Yugure, Commander Kiyoshi Kamo
Shigure, Commander Noboru Seo
Shiratsuyu, Lieutenant Commander Kimmatsu Hashimoto

2ND SUPPLY UNIT, Captain Matsuo Eguchi

San Clemente Maru (oiler), Captain Eguchi
Toa Maru (oiler)

FIRST CARRIER STRIKING FORCE (First Air Fleet) - Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo

CARRIER GROUP, Vice Admiral Nagumo

CARDIV 1, Vice Admiral Nagumo in Akagi

Akagi (CV), Captain Taijiro Aoki

Air Unit, Commander Mitsuo Fuchida

21 Zero fighters, Lieutenant Commander Shigeru Itaya
21 dive bombers, Lieutenant Takehiko Chihaya
21 torpedo bombers, Lieutenant Commander Shigeharu Murata

Kaga (CV), Captain Jisaku Okada

Air Unit, Lieutenant Commander Tadashi Kusumi

21 Zero fighters, Lieutenant Masao Sato 30 torpedo bombers, Lieutenant Ichiro Kitajima

CARDIV 2, Read Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi, in Hiryu
Hiryu (CV), Captain Tomeo Kaku

Air Unit, Lieutenant Joichi Tomonaga

21 Zero fighters, Lieutenant Shigeru Mori
21 dive bombers, Lieutenant Michio Kobayashi
21 torpedo bombers, Lieutenant Rokuro Kikuchi

Soryu (CV), Captain Ryusaku Yanagimoto

Air Unit, Lieutenant Commander Takashige Egusa

21 Zero fighters, Lieutenant Masaharu Suganami
21 dive bombers, Lieutenant Masahiro Ikeda
21 torpedo bombers, Lieutenant Heijiro Abe

SUPPORT GROUP, Rear Admiral Hiroaki Abe, in Tone

CRUDIV 8, Rear Admiral Abe

Tone (CA), Captain Tametsugu Okada
Chikuma (CA), Captain Keizo Komura

2ND SECTION, BATDIV 3, Captain Tamotsu Koma

Haruna, Captain Koma
**Guess Captain Colin P. Kelly didn't get it after allKirishima, Captain Sanji Iwabuchi

SCREEN (DesRon 10), Read Admiral Susumu Kimura

Nagara (CL, flagship), Captain Toshio Naoi
DESDIV 4, Captain Kosaku Ariga

Nowaki, Commander Magotaro Koga
Arashi, Commander Yasumasa Watanabe
Hagikaze, Commander Juichi Iwagami
Maikaze, Commander Seiji Nakasugi

DESDIV 10, Captain Toshio Abe

Kazagumo, Commander Masayoshi Yoshida
Yugumo, Commander Shigeo Semba
Makigumo, Commander Isamu Fujita

DESDIV 17, Captain Masayuki Kitamura

Urakaze, Commander Nagayoshi Shiraishi
Isokaze, Commander Shunichi Toshima
Tanikaze, Commander Motoi Kasumi
Hamakaze, Commander Tsuneo Orita

SUPPLY GROUP, Captain Masanao Oto

Kyokuto Maru (oiler), Captain Oto
Shinkoku Maru (oiler)
Toho Maru (oiler)
Nippon Maru (oiler)
Kokuyo Maru (oiler)
Akigumo (DD), Commander Shohei Soma

MIDWAY INVASION FORCE (Second Fleet) - Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondo

INVASION FORCE MAIN BODY, Vice Admiral Kondo in Atago

CRUDIV 4 (less 2nd Section), Vice Admiral Kondo

Atago (CA), Captain Matsuji Ijuin
Chokai (CA), Captain Mikio Hayakawa

CRUDIV 5, Vice Admiral Takeo Takagi

Myoko (CA), Captain Teruhiko Miyoshi
Haguro (CA), Captain Tomoichi Mori

BATDIV 3 (less 2nd Section), Rear Admiral Gunichi Mikawa

Kongo, Captain Tomiji Koyanagi
Hiei, Captain Masau Nishida

SCREEN (DesRon 4), Read Admiral Shoji Nishimura

Yura (CL, flagship), Captain Shiro Sato

DESDIV 2, Captain Masao Tachibana

Murasame, Commander Naoji Suenaga
Samidare, Commander Takisaburo Matsubara
Harusame, Commander Masao Kamiyama
Yudachi, Commander Kiyoshi Kikkawa

DESDIV 9, Captain Yasuo Sato

Asagumo, Commander Toru Iwahashi
Minegumo, Commander Yasuatsu Suzuki
Natsugumo, Commander Moritaro Tsukamoto

CARRIER GROUP, Captain Sueo Obayashi

Zuiho (CVL), Captain Obayashi

Air Unit

12 Zero fighters, Lieutenant Moriyasu Hidaka
12 torpedo bombers, Lieutenant Kaji Matsuo

Mikazuki (DD), Lieutenant Commander Saneho Maeda

SUPPLY GROUP, Captain Jiro Murao

Sata (oiler), Captain Murao
Tsurumi (oiler), Captain Toshizo Fujita
Genyo Maru (oiler)
Kenyo Maru (oiler)
Akashi (repair ship), Captain Tsunekichi Fukuzawa

CLOSE SUPPORT GROUP, Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita

CRUDIV 7, Vice Admiral Kurita

Kumano (CA, flagship), Captain Kikumatsu Tanaka
Suzuya (CA), Captain Masatomi Kimura
Mikuma (CA), Captain Shakao Sakiyama
Mogami (CA), Captain Akira Soji

DESDIV 8, Commander Nobuki Ogawa

Asashio, Commander Goro Yoshii
Arashio, Command Hideo Kuboki
Nichiei Maru (oiler)

TRANSPORT GROUP, Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka

TRANSPORTS

Kiyozumi Maru
Zenyo Maru
No. 2 Toa Maru
Argentina Maru
Brazil Maru
Azuma Maru
Keiyo Maru
Goshu Maru
Kano Maru
Hokuriku Maru
Kirishima Maru
Nankai Maru
Patrol Boats Nos. 1, 2, and 34 (carrying troops)
Akebono Maur (oiler)

ESCORT (DesRon 2), Rear Admiral Tanaka in Jintsu

Jintsu (CL), Captain Torazo Kozai
DesDiv 15, Captain Shiro Sato

Kuroshio, Commander Tamaki Ugaki
Oyashio, Commander Tokikichi Arima

DesDiv 16, Captain Shiro Shibuya

Yukikaze, Commander Kenjiro Tobit
Amatsukaze, Commander Tameichi Hara
Tokitsukaze, Commander Giichiro Nakahara
Hatsukaze, Commander Kameshiro Takahash

DesDiv 18, Captain Yoshito Miyasaka

Shiranuhi, Commander Jisuo Akasawa
Kasumi, Commander Kiyoshi Tomura
Arare, Commander Tomoe Ogata
Kagero, Commander Minoru Yokoi

SEAPLANE TENDER GROUP, Rear Admrial Ruitaro Fujita

SEAPLANE TENDER DIVISION 11, Rear Admiral Fujita

Chitose (CVS), Captain Tamotsu Furukawa

16 fighter seaplanes
4 scout seaplanes

Kamikawa Maru (AV), Captain Tarohachi Shinoda

8 fighter seaplanes
4 scout seaplanes

Hayashio (DD), Captain Kiyoshi Kaneda
Patrol Boat No. 35 (carrying troops)

MINESWEEPER GROUP, Captain Sadatomo Miyamoto

MINESWEEPERS

Tama Maru No. 3
Tama Maru No. 5
Shonan Maru No. 7
Shonan Maru No. 8

SUBCHASERS Nos. 16, 17, 18
Soya (supply ship), Commander Toshi Kubota
Meiyo Maru (cargo ship)
Yamafuku Maru (cargo ship)

NORTHERN FORCE (Aleutians) (Fifth Fleet) – Vice Admiral Moshiro Hosogaya

NORTHERN FORCE MAIN BODY, Vice Admiral Hosogaya

Nachi (CA), Captain Takahiko Kiyota
SCREEN, Commander Hajime Takeuchi

Inazuma (DD), Commander Takeuchi
Ikazuchi (DD), Lieutenant Commander Shunsaku Kudo

SUPPLY GROUP

Fujisan Maru (oiler)
Nissan Maru (oiler)
3 cargo ships

SECOND CARRIER STRIKING FORCE, Rear Admiral Kakuji Kakuta

CARRIER GROUP (CarDiv 4), Rear Admiral Kakuta

Ryujo (CVL), Captain Tadao Kato

Air Unit, Lieutenant Masayuki Yamagami

16 Zero fighters, Lieutenant Minoru Kobayashi
21 torpedo bombers, Lieutenant Yamagami

Junyo (CV), Captain Shizue Ishii

Air Unit, Lieutenant Yoshio Shiga

24 Zero fighters, Lieutenant Shiga
21 dive bombers, Lieutenant Zenji Abe

SUPPORT GROUP (2nd Section, CruDiv 4), Captain Shunsaku Nabeshima

Maya (CA), Captain Nabeshima
Takao (CA), Captain Bunji Asakura

SCREEN (DesDiv 7), Captain Kaname Konishi

Akebono, Lieutenant Commander Minoru Nakagawa
Ushio, Commander Yoshitake Uesugi
Sazanami, Lieutenant Commander Hiroshi Uwai
Teiyo Maru (oiler)

ATTU INVASION FORCE, Rear Admiral Sentaro Omori in Abukuma

Abukuma (CL), Captain Seiroku Murayama
DESDIV 21, Captain Toshio Shimizu

Wakaba, Lieutenant Commander Masakichi Kuroki
Nenohi, Lieutenant Commander Saburo Terauchi
Hatsuharu, Commander Hiroshi Makino
Hatsushimo, Lieutenant Commander Satoru Migihama

Magain Maru (minelayer)
Kinugasa Maru (transport)

KISKA INVASION FORCE, Captain Takeji Ono in Kiso

CRUDIV 21, Captain Ono
Kiso (CL), Captain Ono
Tama (CL), Captain Masaharu Kawabata
Asaka Maru (auxiliary cruiser), Captain Jiro Ban

SCREEN (DesDiv 6), Captain Yusuke Yamada

Hibiki, Lieutenant Commander Hagumu Ishii
Akatsuki, Commander Osuma Takasuka
Hokaze, Lieutenant Commander Tomoo Tanaka

TRANSPORTS

Hakusan Maru
Kumangawa Maru

MINESWEEPER DIVISION 13, Captain Toshio Mitsuka

Kaiho Maru
Shunkotsu Maru
Hakuho Maro

SUBMARINE DETACHMENT, Rear Admiral Shigeaki Yamazaki in I-9

SUBRON 1, Rear Admiral Yamazaki

I-9, Commander Akiyoshi Fujii
SubDiv 2, Captain Hiroshi Imazato

I-15, Commander Nobuo Ishikawa
I-17, Commander Kozo Nishino
I-19, Commander Seigo Narahara

SubDiv 4, Captain Mitsuru Nagai

I-25, Commander Meiji Togami
I-26, Commander Minoru Yokota

ADVANCE FORCE (submarine) (Sixth Fleet) – Vice Admiral Teruhisa Komatsu

Katori (CL), Captain Noboru Owada
SubRon 3, Rear Admrial Chimaki Kono

Rio de Janeiro Maru (sub-tender, flagship, at Kwajalein)
SUBDIV 19, Captain Ryojiro Ono

I-156, Lieutenant Commander Katsu Ohashi
I-157, Lieutenant Commander Sakae Nakajima
I-158, Lieutenant Commander Soshichi Kitamura
I-159, Lieutenant Commander Tamori Yoshimatsu

SUBDIV 30, Captain Masao Teraoka

I-162, Lieutenant Commander Takaichi Kinashi
I-165, Lieutenant Commander Takae Harada
I-166, Lieutenant Commander Makio Tanaka

SUBDIV 13, Captain Takeharu Miyazaki

I-121, Lieutenant Commander Yasuo Fujimori
I-122, Lieutenant Commander Sadatoshi Norita
I-123, Lieutenant Commander Toshitake Ueno

SHORE BASED AIR FORCE (Eleventh Air Fleet) – Vice Admiral Nishizo Tsukahara at Tinian

MIDWAY EXPEDITIONARY FORCE, Captain Chisato Morita

36 Zero fighters, Lieutenant Commander Mitsugu Kokufuda
10 land bombers (at Wake)
6 flying boats (at Jaluit)

24TH AIR FLOATILLA, Rear Admrial Minoru Maeda at Kwajalein

CHITOSE AIR GROUP, Captain Fujiro Ohashi (at Kwajalein)

36 Zero fighters
36 torpedo bombers

1ST AIR GROUP, Captain Samaji Inouye (at Aur and Wotje)

36 Zero fighters
36 torpedo bombers

14TH AIR GROUP, Captain Daizo Nakajima

18 flying boats (at Jaluit and Wotje)

- Fuchida, Mitsuo and Masatake Okumiya, Midway: The Battle That Doomed Japan, the Japanese Navy's Story, Appendix 2.

CougarGA7: "...post a composite of the Japanese force that is about to be involved in what I consider the most important naval battle in naval history.
I don't think that many really understand just how large this attacking force was and just what a near thing this really was for the U.S. Navy."

In what ways were these forces larger, or smaller, than those the Japanese had in motion on December 7, 1941?

I would have guessed, all told, they were roughly the same.

Unfortunately for the Japanese, they are up against the cruel math of American production and the tyranny of logistics.

Even had they sunk the entire US Fleet at Midway, and somehow taken the island, despite being outnumbered by the defenders, Japan still loses.

They can’t hold Midway, it is too far from Japan to support. It will either be used as target practice for new American carriers, and as a practice for taking a fortified island by the Marines. Or, it will just be left to wither on the vine and starved out.

As far as ships go, the charts on this page tell the tale:

http://www.combinedfleet.com/economic.htm

Japan in mid 1942 is at the limit of her expansion, she cannot truly maintain what she has already.

She hopes to fight a decisive battle to force America to the peace table. But after Pearl Harbor, nothing will do that. And time is on the side of the US.

In two years, Japan will be fighting a US Navy that has more aircraft carriers and aircraft, better aircraft carriers and aircraft, and a fleet train that supports them at sea for weeks to months at time.

Japan is doomed, no matter what.