* Armament as during the Battle of Midway (June 1942).

Commissioned in the early 1920s, six Nagara class ships were the second class of 5,500-ton light cruisers. These warships were designed to be flagships for destroyer and submarine squadrons. As destroyer squadron leaders, the Nagara class light cruisers were fast as 36 kts top speed and were armed during World War II with the lethal Type 93 “Long Lance” torpedoes. As submarine squadron leaders they were originally built with a hangar for small seaplane beneath the bridge and a flying-off platform extending in front of the hangar. However this arrangement caused aircraft handling problems, and during the 1930s the flying-off platforms were removed and conventional centerline catapults were above the after turrets to accommodate larger and more powerful reconnaissance seaplane.

One Nagara class light cruiser (CL-9 Nagara) took part in the Battle of Midway as a flagship of Destroyer Squadron 10, the destroyer screen of First Mobile Force.