Historical:

The four Agano-class cruisers were light cruisers operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. All were named after Japanese rivers. Larger than these previous Japanese light cruisers, the Agano-class vessels were fast, but with little protection, and were under-gunned for their size. They participated in numerous actions during World War II.

The Agano class was followed by the larger Ì´åÌÎ_yodo-class cruiser, of which only a single vessel was completed.

The Imperial Japanese Navy had developed a standardized design for light cruisers as flagships for destroyer and submarine squadrons, based on a 5,500 ton displacement, shortly after World War I. However, by the 1930s these vessels were obsolete, as contemporary destroyers were faster, carried more powerful armament, and had greater endurance. As soon as the restrictions of the London Naval Treaty were removed, the Navy General Staff developed a plan within the Fourth Fleet Supplemental Budget to build 13 new 6000 ton cruisers between 1939 and 1945 to replace the TenryÌ´åÌÎÌÊ-class cruiser, Kuma-class cruiser, and Nagara-class cruiser. These vessels were intended to be the flagships for six destroyer squadrons and seven submarine squadrons. The new design was finalized in October 1937; however, construction was delayed due to overloading of the Japanese shipyards. Construction costs came to 16.4 million yen per vessel.

Info: Imperial Japanese Navy Light Cruiser Agano, 1942