Initial Command Structure:
Ship's captain: Commander Sakuma Eiji (prev. C.O. KIKUZUKI). Assigned to Desdiv 19, Desron 3, First Fleet.

20-26 November:
Steamed with Desron 3 from Kure to Samah (Hainan).

4 December 1941-11 January 1942:
Escorted troop convoys out of Samah, Camranh Bay and Mako (Pescadores) in Malaya invasion operations.

19 December:
Assisted URANAMI in sinking of Dutch submarine O-20.

January-February:
Escorted KUMANO, SUZUYA, MOGAMI and MIKUMA in support of Malaya, Anambas Islands and Bangka-Palembang invasion forces.

17 February:
Minor damage: clipped reef in Anambas Islands, then to Camranh Bay on 20 February for emergency repairs.

21-27 February:
Out of Camranh to assist CHOKAI, grounded near Cape St. Jacques, then escorted to Singapore.

12 March:
With Northern Sumatra invasion force.

23 March:
Escorted Admiral Ozawa's cover force for Andaman Islands invasion; then patrol/escort duties out of Port Blair during Japanese raids into Indian Ocean.

13-22 April:
Steamed from Singapore via Camranh Bay to Kure, then docked for maintenance.

4-5 June: Battle of Midway
Escorted Admiral Yamamoto's Main Body.

30 June-2 July:
Escorted troop convoy from Kure to Amami-O-Shima, then antisubmarine patrolling there.

17-31 July:
Steamed from Amami-O-Shima via Mako, Singapore and Sabang to Mergui (Burma) for Indian Ocean raiding operations, aborted due to Guadalcanal.

8-21 August:
Steamed from Mergui via Balikpapan to Truk.

24 August: Battle of Eastern Solomons
Escorted fleet supply group.

September:
Escorted fleet patrolling out of Truk north of the Solomons; then escorted tanker TOHO MARU into Shortlands on 24 September.

29 September:
Barge-towing mission to Rendova, aborted due to high seas.

1 October:
Barge-towing mission to Rendova.

4 October:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

7 October:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

11 October:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

17 October:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

19 October:
Transport run to Guadalcanal.

26 October: Battle of Santa Cruz
On alert in Shortlands-area.

2 November:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

5 November:
Troop transport run to Guadalcanal.

6-9 November:
Escorted SENDAI from Shortlands to Truk.

12-15 November: Naval Battles for Guadalcanal
Initially operated with SENDAI as Eastern Patrol Force, then joined Admiral Kondo's Emergency Bombardment Force. Operated with URANAMI in assault on U.S. destroyers. Sunk: by gunfire of U.S. battleship-destroyer group southeast of Savo Island (09-10 S, 159-52 E); 27 killed. URANAMI removed 196 survivors, including Commander Sakuma (to C.O. TAMANAMI), then scuttled with two torpedoes.

15 December 1942:
Removed from Navy List.