 After repairs, she continued making transport runs to Guadalcanal, Shortland Island, New Georgia and Santa Isabel Island in the Solomon Islands to the end of February 1943.From March–May 1943, "Tsugaru" underwent repairs and refit at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal, returning to Rabaul in early August.However, en route to Rabaul, she was attacked by , on 5 August, NNE of Rabaul, with one torpedo hit.