How to call a Japanese Imperial Navy vessel?

[One-Oh-Four]

…By it’s name or number, I get it…! 😉 😇
However, most navies have an abbreviation in front of the name, to signify what navy it belongs to. The most well known of course is the Royal Navy’s HMS for His/Her Majesty’s Ship.

 

How should an Imperial Japanese Navy ship be referred to? As a modeller I mostly see IJN as in IJN Kongō. Or should it be HIJMS Kongō? Is there even a historically accurate way to designate Japanese naval vessels up to the end of WW2?
 

Cheers,

Erik.

[allanyed]

Hi Erik

Many countries don't use prefixes. Imperial German Navy uses SMS (Seiner Majestät Schiff German: "His Majesty's Ship" ) prefixes, but the German under Third Reich did not. Similarly the French do not use a prefix.  They do have an informal “FS” or “FNS” when jointly operating with NATO or other nation's navies.

Japan only uses the JS or IJS prefixes when operating with or communicating with foreign Navies.  

Allan

Edited September 11, 2023 by allanyed

[One-Oh-Four]

Thank you, Allan!