Imperial Japanese Aviation Resource Center - A Warbirds Resource Group Site. Imperial Japanese Navy. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) (Kyūjitai: 大日本帝國海軍 Shinjitai: 大日本帝国海軍 Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kaigun or 日本海軍 Nippon Kaigun, literally "Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire") was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 until 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's defeat and surrender in World War II.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) was formed after the dissolution of the IJN.[1] The Japanese Navy was the third largest navy in the world by 1920, behind the Royal Navy and the United States Navy.[2] It was supported by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service for aircraft and airstrike operation from the fleet. Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (大日本帝國海軍航空隊, Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kaigun Kōkū-tai?)
Was the air arm of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. The organization was responsible for the operation of naval aircraft and the conduct of aerial warfare in the Pacific War. It was controlled by the Navy Staff of the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Navy Ministry. The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service was equal in function to the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA), the Italian Navy's Aviazione Ausiliara per la Marina, or the Soviet Navy's Morskaya Aviatsiya.