"aso" (callsign jrl) was originally the cruiser "bayan", the name ship of the four armoured cruisers built for the imperial russian navy in the first decade of the 20th century. she struck a mine and sank during the russo-japanese war of 1904–05. she was salvaged and extensively repaired by the imperial japanese navy, then renamed the "aso". she served initially as a training ship. she was equipped with telefunken wireless telegraphy apparatus and visited australia in 1910 as part of the visit of the training squadron. on 6 may 1910, the encounter and were also at fremantle port, and the encounter wirelessed an invitation to admiral ijichi to attend a dinner with vice-admiral poore on board on 7 may 1910, the latter ship being about to enter the port also.