History
Empire of Japan
Name	Awazisan Maru
Owner	Mitsui & Co. Ltd. (1939–1941)
Builder	Tama Zosensho
Yard number	245
Laid down	29 March 1938
Launched	22 December 1938
Completed	15 July 1939
Maiden voyage	31 August 1939
Homeport	Kobe
Identification	Call sign JXOM
Fate	Requisitioned by Imperial Japanese Army
History
Empire of Japan
Name	Awazisan Maru
Operator	Imperial Japanese Army
Acquired	10 September 1941
Identification	882
Fate	Sunk, 12 December 1941
General characteristics
Type	Passenger cargo ship
Tonnage	9,794 GRT 5,817 NRT 10,930 DWT
Length	482.9 ft (147.2 m)
Beam	64.0 ft (19.5 m)
Depth	40.7 ft (12.4 m)
Installed power	1,646 Nhp, 9,600 bhp
Propulsion	Tama Zosensho 8-cylinder 2-stroke cycle double-acting diesel engine
Speed	18+1⁄2 knots (21.3 mph; 34.3 km/h)

Awazisan Maru (淡路山丸), also known as Awajisan Maru or Awagisan Maru, was a motor cargo vessel built by Tama Zosensho of Tamano for Mitsui & Co. Ltd. with intention of serving on their Yokohama to New York route. The ship remained in service between Japan and United States for two years before being requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Army. She was bombed and damaged during her first Army mission and subsequently torpedoed and sunk by a Dutch submarine in December 1941.

Design and construction

The ship was launched in 1939 and was notable for being the most advanced freighter of its time.^[1] It was commissioned by the Imperial Japanese Army to transport troops in World War II and was part of the Japanese Invasion of Malaya on 8 December 1941.

Operational history

Imperial Japanese Army

Along with its sister ship Ayatosan Maru and Sakura Maru, she was carrying around 5,000 troops during the landings at Kota Bharu. Awazisan Maru was bombed by a Lockheed Hudson aircraft piloted by Flt. Lt. Oscar Diamond of No. 1 Squadron RAAF, set afire and was abandoned to drift. It is believed that the freighter sunk or was subsequently torpedoed by the Dutch submarine K XII.

The invasion of Malaya preceded the attack on Pearl Harbor by an hour and a half, making it the first Japanese campaign of World War II, likely making Awazisan Maru the very first casualty in the war.

Awazisan Maru now lies in 20 m (66 ft) of water off the coast of Pantai Sabak in Kota Bharu and is fast becoming a popular diving destination due to its remarkable history.^{[citation needed]} It is more popularly known amongst local divers as the Japanese Invasion Wreck.