China Area Fleet | |
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Active | 20 October 1937 – 9 September 1945 |
Country | Empire of Japan |
Branch | Imperial Japanese Navy |
Battle honours | Pacific Theatre of World War II |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Shigetarō Shimada Mineichi Koga |
The China Area Fleet (支那方面艦隊, Shina Hōmen Kantai) was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy organized after the Battle of Shanghai. It reported directly to the Imperial General Headquarters and had the same organizational level as the Combined Fleet. This article handles their predecessor fleet the Southern Qing Fleet (南清艦隊, Nanshin Kantai), China Expeditionary Fleet (遣支艦隊, Kenshi Kantai) and 1st/2nd Expeditionary Fleet (第一/第二遣外艦隊, Daiichi/Daini Kengai Kantai) also.