Shimizu was a native of
Nagano prefecture. He graduated 24th out of 191 cadets from the 36th class of the
Imperial Japanese Naval Academy, in November 1908. His classmates included future admirals
Chuichi Nagumo and
Nishizō Tsukahara. He served his
midshipman duty on the cruiser
Soya, battleship
Katori and cruiser
Hashidate, and as an
ensign on the
battlecruiser Ikoma and
Sagami. He subsequently served in the Personnel Department of the
Navy Ministry, specializing in legal affairs and accounting. However, realizing that the key to promotion in the navy was via command of a vessel, he requested a transfer as a
lieutenant commander in 1925 to a
submarine tender, and was appointed
XO of the
Jingei. After being sent to Europe and the United States in 1929, he was promoted to
commander in 1929, and became captain of the
cruiser Tama in 1931. In November 1934, he received command of the
battleship Ise, and in 1935 became
Chief of staff of the
Sasebo Naval District. He was promoted to
rear admiral the same year. He became a
vice admiral in 1939. In June 1940, Shimizu was appointed
commander in chief of the IJN Training Fleet. However, in July 1941, he was transferred to take command of the
IJN 6th Fleet, which consisted of the Japanese
submarine forces. He was serving in this capacity during the
attack on Pearl Harbor, and authorized the
midget submarine force which attempted to penetrate
American defenses at the start of the attack. On 1 February 1942, an American task force raided
Kwajalein,
Wotje, and
Maloelap in the
Marshall Islands, sinking three ships, damaging eight, and destroying numerous airplanes and ground facilities.
Enterprise received only minor damage in the Japanese counterattack, and for his failure to sink the
aircraft carrier with his submarines, Shimizu was reassigned in July 1942 to take command of the
IJN 1st Fleet. The IJN 1st Fleet consisted of the Japanese battleship fleet, and was held in reserve waiting for the "decisive battle" under the Japanese
kantai kessen doctrine, so the transfer meant that Shimizu was removed from front line service. However, on 8 June 1943, while anchored in
Kure harbor, the
Japanese battleship Mutsu exploded and sank in an accident. Shimizu was forced to accept responsibility, and retired from active service on 21 February 1944. ==References==