 In 1941, "Aikoku Maru" and "Hokoku Maru", two passenger-cargo vessels built for the Osaka Shipping Line’s South America route, were requisitioned for conversion to Armed Merchant Cruisers (AMC).Before and during the Pacific War, Japan converted 14 merchant ships to Armed Merchant Cruisers (AMCs).Although two of these ships initially enjoyed some successes by sinking the American freighters "Malama" and "Vincent" and the British "Elysia", the early loss of the "Hokoku Maru" after a battle with the armed Dutch tanker "Ondina" and the pressing need for more transports to support their far-flung Pacific empire resulted in the reconversion of most of Japan’s AMC fleet.