List of Air Fleets of the Imperial Japanese Navy
During the Pacific War of 1941-45, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service disposed of an increasing number of "air fleets" - airborne combat units attached to the Navy. The 1st Air Fleet was the primary carrier unit, while other Air Fleets were for defence, training or supporting naval operations in particular theatres.
1st Air Fleet
The 1st Air Fleet formed the primary carrier fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy, a grouping of naval aircraft and aircraft carriers that at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, was the world's largest aircraft carrier fleet. As losses mounted, the carriers were removed and the 1st Air Fleet was transformed into a land based Naval aviation force forward based on islands and land masses along the perimeter of the Japanese controlled sphere.2nd Air Fleet
The 2nd Air Fleet was organized late in the War to defend the National Defence Zone along with 1st Air Fleet. Their area of responsibility was based in the Kyūshū-Okinawa-Formosa district. In October 1944 Vice admiral Shigeru Fukudome moved his HQ from Taiwan to Manila. There he was reinforced and charged with a share of the air defense of the Philippines. However, most of the airplanes and pilots disappeared in November 1944 as a result of fighting against the Halsey Fleet from the front during the Philippines Campaign. Soon thereafter, in Jan 1945, the 2nd Air Fleet was dissolved and merged into the 1st Air Fleet.- Structure
- Commander in chief
| Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
| 1 | Vice-Admiral | Shigeru Fukudome | 15 June 1944 |
| Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
| 1 | Rear-Admiral | Ushie Sugimoto | 15 June 1944 | |
| 2 | Rear-Admiral | Tomozō Kikuchi | 27 October 1944 |
3rd Air Fleet
The 3rd Air Fleet was in charge of air defense of Eastern Japan.- Structure
- Commander in chief
| Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
| 1 | Vice-Admiral | Shun'ichi Kira | 10 July 1944 | |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | Kinpei Teraoka | 17 November 1944 | |
| 3 | Vice-Admiral | Sadayoshi Yamada | 26 August 1945 | |
| x | vacant post | 1 October 1945 |
- Chief of staff
| Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
| 1 | Rear-Admiral | Kanzō Miura | 10 July 1944 | WIA on 30 July 1944 |
| x | vacant post | 31 July 1944 | ||
| 2 | Captain | Tarō Taguchi | 1 August 1944 | |
| x | vacant post | 26 December 1944 | ||
| 3 | Captain | Chūzaburō Yamazumi | 1 January 1945 | |
| 4 | Captain | Chihaya Takahashi | 26 August 1945 | |
| x | vacant post | 1 October 1945 |
5th Air Fleet
The 5th Air Fleet was in charge of the air defense of Western Japan.- Structure
- Commander in chief
| Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
| 1 | Vice-Admiral | Matome Ugaki | 10 February 1945 | KIA on 15 August 1945 |
| x | vacant post | 16 August 1945 | ||
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | Ryūnosuke Kusaka | 17 August 1945 |
- Chief of staff
| Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
| 1 | Captain Rear-Admiral | Toshiyuki Yokoi | 10 February 1945 1 May 1945 |
10th Air Fleet
The 10th Air Fleet was a training unit.- Structure
- Commander in chief
| Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
| 1 | Vice-Admiral | Minoru Maeda | 1 March 1945 | |
| x | vacant post | 1 October 1945 |
- Chief of staff
| Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
| 1 | Rear-Admiral | Chikao Yamamoto | 1 March 1945 | |
| 2 | Captain Rear-Admiral | Shigenori Kami | 20 June 1945 15 September 1945 | LODD on 15 September 1945 |
| x | vacant post | 16 September 1945 |
11th Air Fleet
The 11th Air Fleet was a grouping of naval aviation and surface units based in Formosa that moved through the Philippines and New Guinea then supported the Solomon Islands campaign during the Japanese advance at the start of the war. Heavily engaged in the Guadalcanal Campaign. From the end of 1942 they provided air cover to the Southeast Area Fleet.12th Air Fleet
The 12th Air Fleet was in charge of air cover for the Northeast Area Fleet.- Structure
- Commander in chief
| Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
| 1 | Vice-Admiral | Michitarō Tozuka | 18 May 1943 | |
| 1 | Vice-Admiral | Michitarō Tozuka | 5 August 1943 | Commander in chief of the Northeast Area Fleet |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | Eiji Gotō | 15 September 1944 | Commander in chief of the Northeast Area Fleet |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | Eiji Gotō | 5 December 1944 | |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | Eiji Gotō | 15 February 1945 | Commander in chief of the Ōminato Guard District |
| 3 | Vice-Admiral | Kanji Ugaki | 15 March 1945 | Commander in chief of the Ōminato Guard District |
| x | vacant post | 1 October 1945 |
- Chief of staff
| Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
| 1 | Rear-Admiral | Yoshiyuki Ichimiya | 18 May 1943 | |
| 1 | Rear-Admiral | Yoshiyuki Ichimiya | 5 August 1943 | Chief of staff of the Northeast Area Fleet |
| 1 | Rear-Admiral | Yoshiyuki Ichimiya | 5 December 1944 | |
| 2 | Rear-Admiral | Tsuyoshi Matsumoto | 6 February 1945 | |
| 3 | Rear-Admiral | Zensuke Kanome | 15 February 1945 | Chief of staff of the Ōminato Guard District Commander of the Ōminato Transportation Department |
| x | vacant post | 1 October 1945 |
13th Air Fleet
The 13th Air Fleet was in charge of air cover for the Southwest Area Fleet.- Structure
- Commander in chief
| Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
| 1 | Vice-Admiral Admiral | Shirō Takasu | 20 September 1943 1 March 1944 | Commander in chief of the Southwest Area Fleet and the 2nd Southern Expeditionary Fleet |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | Gun'ichi Mikawa | 18 July 1944 | Commander in chief of the Southwest Area Fleet |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | Gun'ichi Mikawa | 15 August 1944 | Commander in chief of the Southwest Area Fleet and the 3rd Southern Expeditionary Fleet |
| 3 | Vice-Admiral | Denshichi Ōkawachi | 1 November 1944 | Commander in chief of the Southwest Area Fleet and the 3rd Southern Expeditionary Fleet |
| 4 | Vice-Admiral | Minoru Tayui | 8 January 1945 | Commander in chief of the IJN 1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet |
| 5 | Vice-Admiral | Shigeru Fukudome | 13 January 1945 | IJN 1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet |
| 5 | Vice-Admiral | Shigeru Fukudome | 5 February 1945 | Commander in chief of the 10th Area Fleet and the IJN 1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet |
- Chief of staff
| Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
| 1 | Rear-Admiral Vice-Admiral | Takeo Tada | 20 September 1943 1 November 1943 | Chief of staff of the Southwest Area Fleet and the 2nd Southern Expeditionary Fleet |
| 2 | Rear-Admiral Vice-Admiral | Hidehiko Nishio | 1 March 1944 15 October 1944 | Chief of staff of the Southwest Area Fleet |
| 3 | Rear-Admiral | Kaoru Arima | 1 November 1944 | Chief of staff of the Southwest Area Fleet and the 3rd Southern Expeditionary Fleet Commander of the 31st Special Base Force |
| 3 | Rear-Admiral | Kaoru Arima | 17 November 1944 | Chief of staff of the Southwest Area Fleet and 3rd Southern Expeditionary Fleet |
| 4 | Rear-Admiral | Bunji Asakura | 8 January 1945 | Chief of staff of the IJN 1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet |
| 4 | Rear-Admiral | Bunji Asakura | 5 February 1945 | Chief of staff of the 10th Area Fleet and the IJN 1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet |
14th Air Fleet
The 14th Air Fleet was in charge of air cover for the Central Pacific Area.- Structure
- Commander in chief
| Rank | Name | Date | Note, additional post | |
| 1 | Vice-Admiral Admiral | Chūichi Nagumo | 4 March 1944 8 July 1944 | Commander in chief of the Central Pacific Area Fleet KIA on 8 July 1944 |
| x | vacant post | 9 July 1944 |
- Chief of staff
| Rank | Name | Date | Additional post | |
| 1 | Rear-Admiral VIce-Admiral | Hideo Yano | 4 March 1944 8 July 1944 | Chief of staff of the Central Pacific Area Fleet KIA on 8 July 1944 |
| x | vacant post | 9 July 1944 |