Personnel Landing Craft "Shohatsu"
- Introduced Year : 1927
- Weight : 3.75 ton
- Dimensions: 10.6 x 2.44 m
- Speed (max) : 10 knots
- Engine : Gasoline, later Diesel Engine 60PS
- Loading Capacity : 30 troops or 3 tons cargo
- Production Qty : 1,000
Shohatsu was the first landing vessel that the IJA developed. The development of the Shohatsu started in 1924 and the first production model was finished in 1927. In those days, no other country had not developed any landing craft like Shohatsu.
Shohatsu has a steel hull and a spiral screw (see below photo), which is useful to avoid the obstacles in the water. It was a reliable vessel and good in mobility. Shohatsu was widely used in China and in the early Pacific War. But, its production was ceased in 1943 in order to increase the production of Daihatsu.
