On 13 December 1941, a Japanese invasion convoy left Cam Ranh Bay in French Indochina, escorted by the cruiser (Rear-Admiral Shintaro Hashimoto), the destroyers of the 12th Destroyer Division (, , and ), the submarine chaser "CH-7", and the seaplane tender "Kamikawa Maru". Ten transport ships (Imperial Japanese Army transports , "Hiyoshi Maru", "Myoho Maru", "Kenkon Maru", "Nichiran Maru"; and Imperial Japanese Navy transports "Hokkai Maru", "Tonan Maru No 3", "Unyo Maru No. 2", "Kamikawa Maru", "Mitakesan Maru") carried the Japanese 35th Infantry Brigade HQ under the command of Major-General Kiyotake Kawaguchi. The Support Force—commanded by Rear-Admiral Takeo Kurita—consisted of the cruisers and and the destroyers and .