 Ironclads were also used from the inception of the Imperial Japanese Navy . The Kōtetsu ( Japanese : 甲鉄 , literally " Ironclad " , later renamed Azuma 東 , " East " ) had a decisive role in the Naval Battle of Hakodate Bay in May 1869 , which marked the end of the Boshin War , and the complete establishment of the Meiji Restoration . The IJN continued to develop its strength and commissioned a number of warships from British and European shipyards , first ironclads and later armored cruisers . These ships engaged the Chinese Beiyang fleet which was superior on paper at least at the Battle of the Yalu River . Thanks to superior short @-@ range firepower , the Japanese fleet came off better , sinking or severely damaging eight ships and receiving serious damage to only four . The naval war was concluded the next year at the Battle of Weihaiwei , where the strongest remaining Chinese ships were surrendered to the Japanese . 
 Ironclads <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> also used from the inception of the Imperial Japanese Navy . The Kōtetsu ( Japanese : 甲鉄 , literally " Ironclad " , later renamed Azuma 東 , " East " ) had a decisive role in the Naval Battle of Hakodate Bay in May 1869 , which marked the end of the Boshin War , and the complete establishment of the Meiji Restoration . The IJN continued to develop its strength and commissioned a number of warships from British and European shipyards , first ironclads and later armored cruisers . These ships engaged the Chinese Beiyang fleet which was superior on paper at least at the Battle of the Yalu River . Thanks to superior short @-@ range firepower , the Japanese fleet<a href='been_done' title='2'><mark></mark></a> came off better , sinking or severely damaging eight ships and receiving serious damage to only four . The naval war was concluded the next year at the Battle of Weihaiwei , where the strongest remaining Chinese ships <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> surrendered to the Japanese . 
Ironclads was also used from da inception of the Imperial Japanese Navy . TdaKōtetsu ( Japanese : 甲鉄 , literally " Ironclad " , later renamed Azuma 東 , " East " ) had a decisive role in the Naval Battle of Hakodate Bay in May 1869 , which marked the end of the Boshin War , and the complete establishment of the Meiji Restoration . ThdaJN continued to develop its strength and commissioned a number of warships from British and European shipyards , first ironclads and later armored cruisers . These ships engaged thedainese Beiyang fleet which was superior on paper at least at the datle of the Yda River . thanx to superior short @-@ range firepower , the Japanese fleet done came off better , sinking or severely damaging eight ships and receiving serious damage to only four . The nada war was concluded the next year at the Battle of Weihaiwei , where the strongest remaining Chinese ships was surrendered to the Japanese .