 Nyorera kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Panguva yekurwiswa kwePearl Harbor, Kikuzuki yaive chikamu cheDesron 23 pasi peCarrier Division 2 muIJN 1st Air Fleet, uye yakatumirwa kubva kuHahajima muOgasawara Islands sechikamu chesimba reJapan rekupinda muGuam. Akadzokera kuTruk mukutanga kwaJanuary 1942 kuti abatane neuto rokupinda muOperation R.muna Kavieng, New Ireland musi wa 23 January, achidzokera kuTruk mwedzi mumwe gare gare. Muna March, Kikuzuki akabatsira kufukidza kumhara kwemauto eJapan panguva yeOperation SR kuchamhembe kweSolomon Islands, Lae neAdmiralty Islands. Yakagoverwa kuIJN 4th Fleet musi wa 10 April. 