List of Japanese hell ships

This list of Japanese hell ships encompasses those vessels used for transporting Allied prisoners of war during the Pacific War.

Select list
The names of the Japanese hell ships used during World War II includes some variants which are different names referring to the same ship.


 * Aikoku
 * Aki Maru (Japanese Kyūjitai: 安藝丸, Shinjitai: 安芸丸)
 * Akikase
 * Akitsuki
 * Amagi Maru
 * Anami Maru
 * Aramis 
 * Argentina Maru
 * Arisan Maru - sunk by USS Snook (SS-279) 24 October 1944.
 * Asaka Maru
 * Asama Maru - sunk by USS Atule (SS-403) 1 November 1944.≠
 * Awa Maru≠ - sunk by USS Queenfish (SS-393) 1 April 1945


 * Benjo Maru
 * Brazil Maru‡-bombed 15 December 1944
 * Burong


 * Canadian Inventor
 * Canadian Prince
 * Celebes Maru


 * Chichibu Maru - sunk by USS Gudgeon 28 April 1943
 * Cho Saki Maru
 * Chuka Maru‡
 * Chuyo - sunk by USS Sailfish (SS-192) 4 December 1943
 * Clyde Maru
 * Coastal Craft
 * Coral Maru


 * Dai Moji Maru
 * Dai Nichi Maru
 * Daikeku Maru
 * Dainichi Maru
 * DeKlerk


 * England Maru
 * Enoshima Maru
 * Enoura Maru
 * Enuri Maru
 * Erie Maru
 * Ex-British Ship


 * France Maru
 * Fuji Maru‡
 * Fukkai Maru
 * Fuku Maru
 * Fukuji Maru
 * Fukuju Maru


 * Hakuroku Maru
 * Hakusan Maru - sunk by USS Flier 4 June 1944
 * Hakushika Maru
 * Haru Maru
 * Harukiku Maru (治菊丸, Ex-Dutch Ship Van Warweijk) - sunk by HMS Truculent 26 June 1944. 180 of 720 POW and 27 of 55 Japanese troops killed.
 * Haruyasa Maru
 * Hawaii Maru (はわい丸, Hawai Maru)
 * Heiyo Maru
 * Hioki Maru
 * Hiyoki Maru
 * Hofuku Maru sunk 21 September 1943
 * Hokko Maru
 * Hokusen Maru (北鮮丸)
 * Horror Maru
 * Hozan Maru


 * Ikoma Maru
 * Ikuta Maru
 * Interisland Steamer


 * Junyō Maru - torpedoed with loss of over 5,000 lives including 1300 POW.


 * Kachidoki Maru - sunk by USS Pampanito (SS-383) 12 September 1944
 * Kaishun Maru
 * Kaiun Maru
 * Kakko Maru
 * Kalgan Maru
 * Kamakura Maru-sunk by USS Gudgeon (SS-211) 28 April 1943
 * Kamikase
 * Kenkon Maru (乾坤丸)
 * Kenwa Maru
 * Kenzan Maru
 * Kibitzu Maru
 * King Kong Maru
 * Kohho Maru
 * Kokusei Maru
 * Konosue Maru
 * Koryu Maru
 * Kōshū Maru‡
 * Kuala
 * Kunishima Maru
 * Kurimata Maru
 * Kyokko Maru
 * Kyokusei Maru


 * Lima Maru≠
 * Lisbon Maru (りすぼん丸, Risubon Maru)≠


 * Maebashi Maru (前橋丸, Maebashi Maru)
 * Makassar Maru
 * Margaret
 * Maros Maru
 * Maru Go (5)
 * Maru Hachi (8)
 * Maru Ichi (1)
 * Maru Ni (2)
 * Maru No. 760
 * Maru Roku
 * Maru San (3)
 * Maru Shi (4)
 * Maru Shichi (7)
 * Mati Mati Maru
 * Matsu Maru
 * Matti Matti Maru
 * Maya Maru
 * Mayebassi Maru
 * Melbourne Maru‡
 * Mishima Maru
 * Miyo Maru
 * Moji Maru
 * Montevideo Maru (もんてびでお丸, Montebideo Maru)


 * Nagara Maru
 * Nagata Maru
 * Nagato Maru
 * Nanshin Maru
 * Naruto Maru
 * Natoru Maru
 * Nichimei Maru
 * Nishi Maru
 * Nissyo Maru
 * Nitikoku Maru
 * Nitimei Maru
 * Nitta Maru≠
 * No. 1 Yoshida Maru≠
 * No. 2 Hikawa Maru≠
 * No. 6 Kotobuki Maru
 * No. 7 Hoshi Maru
 * No. 17 Nanshin Maru
 * No. 86
 * No. 824 
 * Noto Maru


 * Oite
 * Op ten Noort
 * Oryoki Maru
 * Oryokko Maru
 * Oryoku Maru
 * OSK Ferry
 * Otaro Maru
 * Oyo Maru


 * Pacific Maru
 * Panama Maru
 * Potomac
 * President Harrison


 * Raihei Maru
 * Rakuyo Maru (樂洋丸・楽洋丸)
 * Rashin Maru (羅津丸)
 * Rendsberg
 * Rio de Janeiro Maru
 * Roko Maru‡
 * Rokyo Maru‡
 * Ryūkyū Maru‡


 * Samurusan Maru
 * San Diego Maru
 * Sandakan Steamer
 * Sanko Maru
 * Seikyo Maru
 * Sekiho Maru
 * Shinsei Maru
 * Shinyo Maru
 * Shinyu Maru
 * Shoun Maru
 * Sibijac
 * Singapore Maru Left Batavia in Java 17 October 1942 with 3,000 British prisoners, arrived Moji, Japan (via Singapore) 25 November 1942. 108 died on the journey.
 * Singoto Maru
 * Soong Cheong
 * SS Subuk
 * Suez Maru
 * Sugi Maru
 * Suzuya Maru


 * Tachibana Maru
 * Taga Maru
 * Taian Maru
 * Taiko Maru
 * Taikoku Maru
 * Taka Maru
 * Tamahoko Maru
 * Tango Maru
 * Tanjong Penang
 * Tatsuta Maru≠
 * Tattori Maru
 * Tatu Maru
 * Teia Maru (帝亞丸・帝亜丸)
 * Tenshin Maru
 * Thames Maru
 * Tiensen
 * Toendjoek
 * Tofuku Maru
 * Tojuku Maru
 * Toka Maru
 * Toko Maru
 * Tomohoku Maru
 * Tone
 * Toro Maru
 * Tottori Maru
 * Toyama Maru
 * Toyofuku Maru
 * Toyohashi Maru
 * Trading Vessel
 * Treasure
 * Tufuku Maru


 * Ube Maru
 * Ume Maru
 * Umeda Maru
 * Unyo
 * Uruppu Maru
 * Ussuri Maru
 * Usu Maru


 * Van Waerwijck


 * Wales Maru
 * Weills Maru
 * Winchester Maru


 * Yamagata Maru
 * Yashu Maru
 * Yinagata Maru
 * Yone Maru
 * Yoshida Maru≠
 * Yubi Maru
 * Yuzan Maru

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 * ‡ Formerly in the fleet of O.S.K. Lines
 * ≠ Formerly in the fleet of N.Y.K Lines