Commissioning of Hōshō

Date: December 27, 1922 • Location: Tokyo, Japan

The Imperial Japanese Navy commissioned Hōshō (pictured), the world's first purpose-built aircraft carrier.

The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender in World War II. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) was formed between 1952 and 1954 after the dissolution of the IJN.