Rengo Kantai, was formed as Japan’s main ocean going naval asset. It was not a standing organization during peacetime. The Combined fleet saw action during many of Japan’s past military conflicts.

Some people think the Combined Fleet was named this because the fleet consisted of aircraft carriers, battleships, cruisers, destroyers, and all other support ships. This is not true. It was called this because of the grouping of local, or area fleets. The Combined fleet conducted the large scale fleet actions conducted by Japan at the beginning of the war. It remained a combined unit until after the battles around the Solomon Islands.

Because of this the Combined Fleet switched from a fighting force into more of an administrative force. As the smaller area fleets began to be overrun by the larger American fleets the Japanese navy kept looking for the final decisive battle.

The Combined fleet officially conducted its final battle action in Operation Ten-Go. The Combined Fleet was officially dissolved October 10, 1945.