In June 1943, after its defeat in the Guadalcanal Campaign, the IJN realized it needed high-speed military transport vessels, and designed two classes of ship in response.
One (the No.1 class) was to be the 1,500-ton mothership of the Daihatsu-class landing craft and Kō-hyōteki-class submarines, the other was to be a 900-ton amphibious assault ship, the No.101 class.

The IJA already had an amphibious assault ship, the SS-class landing ship.
However, the SS craft were not suitable for mass-production, leading to IJA support for the new amphibious assault ships.

The IJN and IJA therefore cooperated on the production of the new amphibious assault ships with the IJN providing design and shipyards while the IJA offered mineral resources.
In June 1943, after its defeat in the Guadalcanal Campaign, the IJN realized it needed high-speed military transport vessels, and designed two classes of ship in response. One (the No.1 class) was to be the 1,500-ton mothership of the Daihatsu-class landing craft and Kō-hyōteki-class submarines, the other was to be a 900-ton amphibious assault ship, the No.101 class.
The IJA already had an amphibious assault ship, the SS-class landing ship. However, the SS craft were not suitable for mass-production, leading to IJA support for the new amphibious assault ships.
The IJN and IJA therefore cooperated on the production of the new amphibious assault ships with the IJN providing design and shipyards while the IJA offered mineral resources.
No.101-class landing ship