 With the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, he was assigned briefly to be commander of the IJA 45th Infantry Regiment, but soon returned to a staff position as Chief of the 1st Section (and later Chief of the 1st Bureau) of the powerful Inspectorate General of Military Training.In 1941, he was promoted to Lieutenant general and commander of the IJA 6th Division, which was initially assigned to China, and fought at the Third Battle of Changsha.The division was later transferred to the Solomon Islands from 1943–1945.