This is a list of fleets of the Imperial Japanese Navy, the navy of the Empire of Japan. This navy existed from 1868 to 1945, when it was replaced by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
These fleets were under the command of the Ministry of the Navy, Imperial General Headquarters or Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff.
These fleets were under the command of a higher rank fleet, and themselves commanded one or more lower rank fleets.
These did not in general have any other fleets under their command.
These diagrams cover only fleets, omitting naval districts, guard districts, divisions, flotillas, squadrons, detachments, and other elements.
Ministry of War | Northern Expeditionary Fleet | ||||||||||||
Ministry of War | Small Fleet (for the Port of Yokohama) | ||||||||||||
Small Fleet (for the Port of Hyōgo) | |||||||||||||
Small Fleet (for the Port of Nagasaki) | |||||||||||||
Bureau of Naval Affairs | Medium Fleet | ||||||||||||
Bureau of Naval Affairs | Eastern Fleet | ||||||||||||
Western Fleet | |||||||||||||
Bureau of Naval Affairs | Eastern Sea Naval District | Medium Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||
Bureau of Naval Affairs | Standing Small-Fleet | ||||||||||||
Bureau of Naval Affairs | Standing Fleet | ||||||||||||
Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | Combined Fleet | Standing Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||
Western Sea Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||
Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | Combined Fleet | 1st Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||
2nd Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||
3rd Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||
Imperial General Headquarters | Special Task Fleet | ||||||||||||||||||||
Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | 1st Fleet | ||||||||||||||||
2nd Fleet | |||||||||||||||||
3rd Fleet | |||||||||||||||||
Allied Powers | 1st Special Task Fleet | ||||||||||||||||
2nd Special Task Fleet | |||||||||||||||||
3rd Special Task Fleet | |||||||||||||||||
Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | Combined Fleet | 1st Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||
2nd Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||
Imperial General Headquarters | China Area Fleet | 3rd Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||
4th Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||
Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | Combined Fleet | 1st Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||
2nd Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||
3rd Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||
4th Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||
5th Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||
6th Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1st Air Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||
11th Air Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Southern Expeditionary Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Imperial General Headquarters | China Area Fleet | 1st China Expeditionary Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||
2nd China Expeditionary Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||
3rd China Expeditionary Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff | Combined Fleet | 6th Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1st Air Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1st Mobile Fleet | 2nd Fleet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3rd Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Southwest Area Fleet | 1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd Southern Expeditionary Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3rd Southern Expeditionary Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4th Southern Expeditionary Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9th Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13th Air Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Southeast Area Fleet | 8th Fleet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11th Air Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northeast Area Fleet | 5th Fleet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12th Air Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Central Pacific Area Fleet | 4th Fleet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14th Air Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Escort Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Imperial General Headquarters | China Area Fleet | 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Imperial General Headquarters | Supreme Headquarters of the Navy | Combined Fleet | 4th Fleet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6th Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7th Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1st Air Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3rd Air Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5th Air Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10th Air Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12th Air Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10th Area Fleet | 1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd Southern Expeditionary Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13th Air Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
China Area Fleet | 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Escort Fleet | 1st Escort Fleet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Southwest Area Fleet | 3rd Southern Expeditionary Fleet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Southeast Area Fleet | 8th Fleet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11th Air Fleet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||