Fusō (扶桑, a classical name for Japan) was the lead ship of the two Fusō-class dreadnought battleships built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Launched in 1914 and commissioned in 1915, she initially patrolled off the coast of China, playing no part in World War I. In 1923, she assisted survivors of the Great Kantō earthquake.

Fusō undergoing trials on 10 May 1933 after a major refit
History
Empire of Japan
Name	Fusō (Japanese: 扶桑)
Namesake	Fusang, a classical name for Japan
Builder	Kure Naval Arsenal
Laid down	11 March 1912
Launched	28 March 1914
Commissioned	8 November 1915
Stricken	31 August 1945
Fate	Sunk during the Battle of Surigao Strait, 25 October 1944
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type	Fusō-class battleship
Displacement	29,330 long tons (29,800 t) (standard) 35,900 long tons (36,500 t) (full load)
Length	192.1 m (630 ft 3 in) (pp) 202.7 m (665 ft) (overall)
Beam	28.7 m (94 ft 2 in)
Draft	8.7 m (28 ft 7 in)
Installed power	24 × Miyahara water-tube boilers 40,000 shp (30,000 kW)
Propulsion	4 × shafts; 2 × steam turbine sets
Speed	23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph)
Range	8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement	1,198
Armament	6 × twin 356 mm (14 in) guns 16 × single 152 mm (6 in) guns 6 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes
Armor	Waterline belt 229–305 mm (9–12 in) Deck: 32–51 mm (1.3–2.0 in) Gun turrets: 229–279 mm (9–11 in) Barbettes: 203–305 mm (8–12 in) Conning tower: 351 mm (13.8 in)
General characteristics (1944)
Displacement	34,700 long tons (35,300 t)
Length	212.75 m (698 ft) (overall)
Beam	33.1 m (108 ft 7 in)
Draft	9.7 m (31 ft 10 in)
Installed power	6 × water-tube boilers 75,000 shp (56,000 kW)
Propulsion	4 × steam turbines
Speed	24.5 knots (45.4 km/h; 28.2 mph)
Range	11,800 nmi (21,900 km; 13,600 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement	approximately 1,900
Sensors and processing systems	1 × Type 21 air search radar 2 × Type 13 early warning radar 2 × Type 22 surface search radar
Armament	6 × twin 356 mm guns 14 × single 152 mm guns 4 × twin 127 mm (5 in) DP guns 8 × triple, 6 × twin, 23 × single 25 mm (1 in) AA guns
Armor	Deck: 51–152 mm (2–6 in)
Aircraft carried	3 × floatplanes
Aviation facilities	1 × catapult

Fusō was modernized in 1930–1935 and again in 1937–1941, with improvements to her armor and propulsion machinery and a rebuilt superstructure in the pagoda mast style. With only 14-inch (356 mm) guns, she was outclassed by other Japanese battleships at the beginning of World War II, and played auxiliary roles for most of the war.

Fusō was part of Vice-Admiral Shōji Nishimura's Southern Force at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. She was sunk in the early hours of 25 October 1944 by torpedoes and naval gunfire during the Battle of Surigao Strait. Some reports claimed Fusō broke in half, and that both halves remained afloat and burning for an hour; according to survivors' accounts, however, the ship sank after 40 minutes of flooding and caught fire when her fuel bunkers spilled open. Of the few dozen crewmen who escaped, only 10 survived to return to Japan.