Japan's first dreadnoughts were a technological leap that ended in tragedy and deception

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Ordered in 1907, the Kawachi-class battleships represented Japan's ambitious entry into the era of all-big-gun warships. While they saw limited combat during World War I, their legacies diverged sharply: one ship suffered a catastrophic internal explosion, while the other became a master of wartime psychological warfare and target practice.

The Kawachi-class battleships, Kawachi and Settsu, were the Imperial Japanese Navy's first dreadnoughts, commissioned under the 1907 Warship Supplement Program. Their design was heavily influenced by the German Nassau and Helgoland classes, utilizing a hexagonal layout for their main armament. Engineers initially proposed an 'en echelon' turret arrangement to maximize end-on fire, but this was rejected because it would have exceeded the informal 20,000-long-ton limit. The final design featured a mix of 45-caliber and 50-caliber 12-inch guns, a compromise forced by budget constraints after reports of the Royal Navy's own advancements reached Japan.

The operational history of the two ships was brief and varied. Both participated in the bombardment of German fortifications at Qingdao in 1914, their only significant combat in World War I. In 1918, Kawachi was lost to an accidental magazine explosion in Tokuyama Bay, resulting in the deaths of over 600 crewmen. The wreck was partially dismantled, though much of the hull remained in place as an artificial reef. Settsu, meanwhile, survived the post-war naval treaties by being disarmed in 1922 and converted into a target ship. Her main gun turrets were repurposed as coastal artillery near the Strait of Tsushima.

In her final years, Settsu played a bizarre role in the Pacific War. In 1935–1937, she was modified for radio-control, allowing her to be maneuvered remotely. During the opening stages of the Pacific War, she was used to simulate the radio traffic of eight Japanese aircraft carriers, a strategic ruse intended to confuse Allied intelligence regarding the actual location of the Japanese fleet. After serving as a target for carrier pilots throughout the conflict, she was heavily damaged by Allied air attacks at Kure in July 1945. She was beached to prevent sinking and eventually scrapped in 1946–1947.

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