The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) created as a mobile strike force in response to hostilities with Russia, and saw action in every IJN military operation until the end of World War II. History Established on 27 October 1903, the 2nd Fleet was created by the Imperial General Headquarters as a mobile strike force of cruisers and destroyers to pursue the Imperial Russian Navy's Vladivostok-based cruiser squadron while the remaining bulk of the Japanese fleet (the IJN 1st Fleet) continued to blockade Port Arthur in hopes of luring the battleships of the Russian Pacific Fleet into an open sea classic line of battle confrontation. As the main mobile force in the IJN, the 2nd Fleet saw the bulk of all future IJN combat operations from the time of its inception until IJN dissolution at the end of World War II. Order of Battle at time of Pearl Harbor Based at Samah, Hainan Island 4th Division CA Takao (fleet flagship) CA Atago CA Chōkai CA Maya 5th Division CA Haguro (flagship) CA Myōkō CA Nachi 7th Division CA Kumano (flagship) CA Mikuma CA Mogami CA Suzuya 8th Division CA Tone (flagship) CA Chikuma Other AD Kamikaze Maru 2nd Destroyer Squadron CL Jintsū (flagship) 8th Destroyer Division DD Arashio DD Asashio DD Michishio DD Ōshio 15th Destroyer Division DD Hayashio DD Kuroshio DD Natsushio DD Oyashio 16th Destroyer Division DD Amatsukaze DD Hatsukaze DD Tokitsukaze DD Yukikaze 18th Destroyer Division DD Arare DD Kagerō DD Kasumi DD Shiranuhi 4th Destroyer Squadron CL Naka (flagship) 2nd Destroyer Division DD Harusame DD Murasame DD Samidare DD Yudachi 4th Destroyer Division DD Arashi DD Hagikaze DD Maikaze DD Nowaki 9th Destroyer Division DD Asagumo DD Minegumo DD Natsugumo DD Yamagumo 24th Destroyer Division DD Kawakaze DD Suzukaze DD Umikaze DD Yamakaze Order in the Malayan Campaign Distant Cover Force Closed Cover Force Invasion Force Commanders of the IJN 2nd Fleet References Books External links Notes 2 Military units and formations established in 1903 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945 1945 disestablishments in Japan