 In April 1943, Nagai traveled to Hsinking, the capital of Manchukuo to establish an independent branch of the "Bungeishunjū", returning to Tokyo in March 1945 to assume the post of executive director to the magazine.However, due to his wartime activity as a correspondent, Nagai was purged from public service by the American occupation authorities after World War II.He then decided to concentrate on writing short stories as a profession.