ðə nˌɪɪtˈɑːkəklˈæs kɹˈuːzɚz wɜːɹ ˈɔːɹdɚd baɪ ðɪ ɪmpˈɪɹiəl dʒˌæpənˈiːz nˈeɪvi ˌʌndɚɹ ɪts sˈɛkənd ɪmˈɜːdʒənsi ɛkspˈænʃən pɹˈoʊɡɹæm, wɪð ɐ bˈʌdʒɪt pˈɑːɹtli fˈʌndᵻd baɪ ðə wˈɔːɹ ˌɪndˈɛmnᵻɾi ɹᵻsˈiːvd fɹʌmðɪ ˈɛmpaɪɚɹ ʌv tʃˈaɪnə æz pˈɑːɹt ʌvðə sˈɛɾəlmənt ʌvðə tɹˈiːɾi ʌv ʃˈɪmənˌoʊski ˈɛndɪŋ ðə fˈɜːst sˈiːnoʊdʒˌæpənˈiːz wˈɔːɹ.
The Niitaka-class cruisers were ordered by the Imperial Japanese Navy under its 2nd Emergency Expansion Program, with a budget partly funded by the war indemnity received from the Empire of China as part of the settlement of the Treaty of Shimonoseki ending the First Sino-Japanese War.