 Kubvira muna January kusvika muna March 1942, Yūnagi yakapa chifukidziro pakumhara kwemauto eJapan panguva yeOperation Rkupinda muRabaul, New Britain uye Operation SR kupinda muLae neSalamaua. Paaifambira kunze kweLae musi wa 10 Kurume, akatambura kukuvara kwepakati kubva pakurwiswa kwepfuti, achimanikidza kudzokera kuSasebo kunogadziriswa muna Kubvumbi. Pakangopera kugadziriswa muna June, ngarava yacho yakabva kuMoji muKyūshū ichidzokera kuRabaul, ichipfuura nePhilippines nePalau. 