Confusion about Japanese battleships

Hello.

As I said in my introduction thread, I said I know a fair amount of stuff about both the Atlantic and Pacific campaigns during WWII. I've been pondering something, however. I remember reading somewhere that the Japanese Navy had together 11 battleships, while other sources say that they have 12. These are the twelve I know:

1) Hiei- Kongo-class Battlecruiser
2) Fuso- Fuso-class Battleship
3) Kongo- Kongo-class Battlecruiser
4) Hyuga- Ise-class Battleship
5) Ise- Ise-class Battleship
6) Yamato- Yamato-class [Super] Battleship
7) Musashi- Yamato-class [Super] Battleship
8) Yamashiro- Fuso-class Battleship
9) Nagato- Nagato-class Battleship
10) Mutsu- Nagato-class Battleship
11) Haruna- Kongo-class Battlecruiser
12) Kirishima- Kongo-class Battlecruiser

Another one was the Shinano, originally a Yamato but was re-done into an aircraft carrier after Japan's heavy carrier losses at Midway. It was sunk shortly after commissioning, when it was going to some Japanese base to get it's final additions.

Anyone know why the thing said there were eleven? Maybe a mistake?

 

Could it have been a time specific count? Musahi didn't enter service until mid 42 so they only had 12 for a few months.

 

Yes but Shinano was "half-completed" in sometime in 1944, and it was sunk shortly afterwards. So forget Shinano. Maybe it was before the Musashi was pressed in.

 

I believe your list is correct, in addition to Musashi, that would make 11 correct if referring to 1941 another possible source of confusion is Hiei that was "demilitarized" accordindg to the Washington naval treaty and was not recommissioned as a BB until Jannuary 1940. AFAIK Shinano was never close to completion as a BB and her fourth sister, only known as 111, was cancelled in December 1941 when 30% complete.

 

Shinano was never completed as a battleship; she was commissioned as an aircraft depot ship on November 19, 1944, and was sunk ten days later on a voyage to Kure where she was to receive her final fitting out.

Musashi wasn't completed until August, 1942, and didn't complete her working up until January, 1943. She would, however, probably be counted as part of the Combined Fleet from August, 1942.