The Tomozuru incident exposes Chidori-class instability

The Chidori-class program was interrupted after Tomozuru capsized in bad weather with heavy loss of life. Another ship of the class endured the same storm and reached port, reinforcing the conclusion that Tomozuru's stability failure was not an unavoidable consequence of the weather alone. The surviving ships required rebuilding, planned Chidori hulls were halted, and the later Ōtori class attempted to correct the problem. The quoted 610-ton standard displacement is questionable, especially beside the much larger rise to full-load displacement. A short 1,600-mile range, heavy gun and torpedo fit, and excessive top weight show the operational and human cost of forcing destroyer-like capability into a treaty-sized hull.