was a "Type C" landing craft carrier with a full-length flight deck built for the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) during World War II. The ship was originally a passenger liner taken over by the IJA before completion. Akitsu Marus planned role was to provide aircover during amphibious and landing operations; in practice the ship was essentially an aircraft ferry. The ship was sunk by on 15 November 1944.
In some sources, Akitsu Maru (and ) are considered to be the first amphibious assault ships. Although, this title can be disputed with the earlier that served a similar role, and being a template for Akitsu Maru. With the deployment of the Shinshà « Maru and the larger, further refined Akitsu Maru, the Japanese amphibious forces had in hand prototypes for all-purpose amphibious ships.
In 1937, British and American observers watched Shinshà « Maru at work off Shanghai and immediately recognized a significant development in amphibious warfare. It also carried two catapults for aircraft but did not embark operational seaplanes. It could, however, transport and unload aircraft if necessary, a capability further developed in the Akitsu Maru, which even had a short take-off flight deck.
The ship was fitted with a flight deck above the hull, but had no hangar so the aircraft were stored below the flight deck on the original main deck. Conventional aircraft were able to fly off from her deck but could not land aboard due to lack of landing mechanisms.
In July 1944, KX arresting gear was fitted on the flight deck. The Kokusai Ki-76 and Kayaba Ka-1 were flown off Akitsu Maru, as the former was a small, slow aircraft that could land on its short deck and the latter was an autogyro which could even more easily land on a short deck without assistance.
The ship carried 27 in a well deck that could be flooded, which allowed the landing craft to float free from an open stern gate. The ship could also hold additional craft on davits, but its next-most impressive function was an ability to discharge vehicles from a deck-level parking garage directly onto a pier.
On 14 November, she departed for Singapore as part of Convoy HI-81. On 15 November 1944, Akitsu Maru was torpedoed by ; One of the torpedoes set off her aft magazine holding depth charges, the explosion shattering the aft portion of the ship; As the seas hit her boilers, they exploded and she sank in the Korean Strait (). 2,046 men, mainly of the Imperial Japanese Army's 64th Infantry Regiment, including the commander, were killed. Also 104 Maru-ni EMB explosive motorboats went down with the ship. The escorts rescued 310 survivors.