戦艦大和とともに東シナ海に沈む軍艦 矢矧・霞・濱風・朝霜の全貌を明らかにする！

To Everyone Who Supported Our Crowdfunding Campaign: “Revealing the Full Story of the Warships Yahagi, Kasumi, Hamakaze, and Asashimo, Which Sank in the East China Sea Alongside the Battleship Yamato!”

This is Ura, the project leader.
Thanks to all of you, our crowdfunding campaign has reached its goal. Thank you very much. I was also deeply moved by the many comments we received, which made me keenly aware of the high expectations placed on our project. We are determined to locate these four ships and, using cutting-edge deep-sea exploration technology, document the discovery process and their current condition on the seafloor.

Initially, we had been making preparations — such as arranging survey vessel, AUVs, ROVs, and other equipment, as well as carefully examining the survey area—with the aim of conducting the survey of the four ships in mid-April 2026. At the same time, we were soliciting support through this crowdfunding campaign.

However, after reaching our funding goal, a defect was discovered in the pressure-resistant structure of the ROV we had planned to use. Following a diagnostic assessment, it was informed that the necessary repairs would take several months. In an effort to somehow carry out the survey according to the original schedule, we explored various alternatives, including changing the survey vessel and equipment, as well as adjusting the timeline. However, we ultimately concluded that postponing the survey was unavoidable to ensure it could be conducted safely and reliably.

The survey requires securing sufficient days during a period of calm sea conditions. April, as originally planned, is when sea conditions in the survey area are most stable, making it the ideal time for operating AUVs and ROVs, which require precise and careful handling.

In order to ensure that the valuable support we have received from all of you is put to good use in conducting a thorough survey, we have regrettably decided to postpone the survely and reschedule it for mid-April 2027. We sincerely apologize to everyone who has been eagerly awaiting the survey, and we ask for your patience as you wait approximately one year.

We will hold a detailed briefing session regarding the postponement via Zoom at 8:00 PM on April 4. Please join us if you are able.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82959308581?pwd=CMU87WSQapk19m0k5aGM7rDLb6Pk5O.1
Meeting ID: 829 5930 8581
Passcode: 866906

Additionally, while you wait, we plan to host a monthly 30-minute lecture-style session via Zoom or Niconico Live, covering the current state of underwater technology and the survey activities we have undertaken so far. We hope that by deepening your understanding of the deep sea and the ocean through these broadcasts, your interest in next year’s main survey will grow even further. We look forward to your participation. We will provide details such as the schedule and URLs later.

Finally, regarding the rewards: the models used during the survey, those for the report and the debriefing session will be delivered after the survey is complete. We will send the books as soon as possible.

We appreciate your understanding regarding the change in the planned schedule.

According to our current plans, the survey vessel is scheduled to depart from Nagasaki Port on April 12, 2027 — one year from now — equipped with an AUV and ROV, as originally planned.