 Kubva muna January kusvika muna March 1942, Oite yakapa chifukidziro kumauto eJapane mukati meOperation Rkupinda kweRabaul, New Britain uye Operation SR kupinda kweLae neSalamaua, kudzokera kuSasebo Naval Arsenal kuti igadziriswe muna Kubvumbi. Pakupera kwaApril, Oite akaperekedza boka raibva kuSasebo richienda kuTruk. Munguva yeHondo yeGungwa reCoral kubva musi wa7 kusvika 8 Chivabvu 1942, Oite yakatumirwa kuOperation Mo yekupinda mauto ePort Moresby muNew Guinea. Apo basa iroro rakarambidzwa, rakagoverwazve kunharaunda yeSolomon Islands, ichitarira kubva kuRabaul uye ichiperekedza vashandi vanovaka nhandare kubva kuTruk kuenda kuBougainville neGuadalcanal. Muna August 1942, Oite yakaita Tokyo Express kutakura mauto kuenda kuGuadalcanal, asi pakupera kwemwedzi yakatumirwazve kuti ifukidze mauto ekumhara paNauru neOcean Island panguva yeOperation RY. 