| Unit Name: | Third Carrier Division |
| Dates: | June 1, 1936 - November 15, 1944 |
| Country: | Empire of Japan |
| Allegiance: | Axis Powers of World War II |
| Branch: | Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Type: | Naval aviation unit |
| Role: | Aircraft carrier support |
| Battles: | Battle of the Philippine Sea Battle of Leyte Gulf |
| Notable Commanders: | Kakuji Kakuta |
| Identification Symbol: | Kamoi Notoro Zuihō in 1941-42 CI-xxx Hōshō in 1941-42 CII-xxx Chitose in early 1944 331-xxx Chiyoda in early 1944 332-xxx Zuihō in early 1944 333-xxx late 1944 653-xxx |
The was primarily a seaplane tender unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet.
| Date | Higher unit | Ships and air units |
|---|---|---|
| 1 June 1936 (original) | Kamoi, Destroyer Squadron 28 : Asanagi, Yūnagi | |
| 1 December 1936 | disbanded | |
| 27 August 1937 | Kamoi | |
| 20 October 1937 | Kamoi, Notoro | |
| 1 December 1937 | 3rd Fleet | Kamoi, Kagu Maru, Kamikawa Maru |
| 1 February 1938 | Kamoi, Kagu Maru, Kamikawa Maru | |
| 15 December 1938 | disbanded | |
| 15 November 1940 | Ryūjō, Hōshō, Destroyer Division 34 : Akikaze, Tachikaze, Hakaze | |
| 11 August 1941 | Zuihō, Hōshō, Mikazuki, Yūzuki | |
| 1 April 1942 | disbanded | |
| 1 February 1944 | 3rd Fleet | Chitose, Chiyoda, Zuihō, 653rd Naval Air Group[1] |
| 15 August 1944 | Zuikaku, Chitose, Chiyoda, Zuihō, 653rd Naval Air Group | |
| 15 November 1944 | disbanded | |
| Rank | Name | Date | Note | |
| 1 | R.ADM | 1 June 1936 | ||
| x | disbanded | 1 December 1936 | ||
| 2 | Capt./R.ADM | 27 August 1937 | Rear-Admiral on 1 December 1937 | |
| x | disbanded | 15 December 1938 | ||
| 3 | R.ADM | 15 November 1940 | ||
| 4 | R.ADM | 1 September 1941 | ||
| x | disbanded | 1 April 1942 | ||
| x | vacant post | 1 February 1944 | ||
| 5 | R.ADM | 15 February 1944 | ||
| 6 | vacant post | 1 October 1944 | ||
| x | disbanded | 15 November 1944 | ||