We'll be studying kaiboukan today.

Originally, kaiboukan was a classification for battleships, cruisers, and armored cruisers

that had been pulled off the frontlines and reassigned to defending Japan's coasts.

These are the original

Now, on a related note, when Russia became the USSR,

the USSR put pressure on Japan's northern fishing industry.

In response, the First Destroyer Division, including Kamikaze, was sent to take over the watch.

While old, they were originally battleships, so they were full-fledged warships.

Since they pulled these aging ships off the front line, they didn't have to make new ships for the job.

This was the year after Kamikaze was renamed from Destroyer No. 1, so 1929.

However, in 1930, the London Naval Treaty limited the number of destroyers,

Senpai!! Please continue to fight on the frontline!! We're low on numbers!!

Ehhh...?

so Kamikaze and co. were returned to the frontlines.

The Navy now needed auxiliary vessels that didn't violate the London Naval Treaty....

that could replace Kamikaze and co. on their northern patrols...

and, looking ahead, that could serve as convoy escorts.

Now, this is where the problems started...

The end result was the new kaiboukan, the four "Shimushu-class" ships!

The Shimushu-class, which were smaller than destroyers, took on the kaiboukan classification

even while aging battleships held the same classification.

I'm repeating myself, but the "warship" classification was special in the Navy.

They were allowed to display the Imperial Seal on their bows and even had the honor of carrying the Emperor's Portrait (a photo of the Emperor). The Emperor's Portrait was a sacred part of IJN tradition, and special attention was paid to getting them off ships at risk, like Akagi at Midway.

Destroyers and submarines aren't technically "warships", but as a kaiboukan Shimushu is a "warship". Sorry, you two, but she's different from you.

Kaiboukan were about the size of minesweepers or submarine chasers, but their skippers were ranked Captains, or Commanders. Apparently their quarters were pretty amazing too...

And that's what led to this incident...

Today's ne-no-hi~♪ Tomorrow's na-no-hi~?♪ Your death day. nanohi means "what day".

Hold up, hold up!

You, lil' girl!

Salute Nenohi properly!

The Shimushu-class were new ships, so she wasn't familiar with them.

A kaiboukan, huh...

Nenohi's destroyer captain was ranked Lieutenant-Commander.

A... A... warship?

Apparently Nenohi's skipper hurried over to apologize.

I sincerely apologize!

Eventually, on July 20, 1942, kaiboukan were reclassified from warships to war vessels.

Seems like even now Kunashiri gets put in an awkward position by Nenohi's apologies. Referencing Kunashiri's idle line.

Warship?

Unsurprisingly, it's said the crewmen at the time were quite boastful and proud that they had served aboard a warship.

They still had the pride of carrying the Imperial Seal, even after losing their status as warships.

I used to be a warship, su!!

I'm proud, su!

Incidentally, Etorofu was completed in 1943, so she never got to be a warship.

Musta been nice...

It's no big deal, su.