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Before describing the present state of the Japanese navy, it may be perhaps worth while to recall how warships of Western style have been introduced into Japan.

In 1635 the Tokugawa Administration forbade the building of any vessels large enough to cross the ocean, and no vessel having more than one mast was allowed. In 1838, however, the Mito clan, picking up some necessary information from a Dutchman—the Dutch were the only foreign traders who were allowed to come to Nagasaki until after the commercial treaty was made with the United States of America—built the first ship on foreign model ever constructed in Japan. Although this ship was completed and named Hachimanmaru, it was never allowed to be used.

After the visit of the American men-of-war in 1853, the Tokugawa Administration permitted the building of large ships, and at the same time ordered from Holland, through their trading agents, one steam corvette, one sailing corvette, with auxiliary steamers, and steamers of different sizes; but these vessels did not arrive in Japan, owing to the troubles existing in Europe at that time.

In 1854 a two-masted ship, the Howomaru (length 132 feet, beam 30 feet), was built at Uraga, on an English model; and at about the same time two more were built, one at Tokyo, the other at Satsuma, both of which were planned on European models.

At the time of the Crimean War a Russian sloop was wrecked on the coast of Japan, and permission was given that Japanese workmen might be employed in the repairing of the vessel; this gave an opportunity to the Japanese to learn some practical working and knowledge of naval architecture of Western style.

In 1855 His Majesty the King of Holland presented a steam corvette to the Tokugawa Shogun, which was named the Kanko Kan. At this time the Japanese ensign ‘Hinomaru’ (the sun or a red ball on a white ground) was introduced, and has been used as the national flag ever since.