 Ramba uchinyora ndima iyi - Nokutanga kweHondo yechipiri yeChina neJapan, Ise akapiwa basa rokurinda kumahombekombe ekumaodzanyemba kweChina. Yamaguchi akasimudzirwa kuva rear admiral musi wa15 Mbudzi 1938. Kubva muna Zvita, aive mukuru-wevashandi veIJN 5th Fleet uye kubva munaNovember 1939 aive pavashandi veIJN 1st Fleet. muna Ndira 1940, akazova mutungamiri we1st Combined Air Group, uye mune ino chinzvimbo akatungamira mushandirapamwe wekurova bhomba pakati peChina kuburikidza na1940, kusanganisira Bombing yeChongqing. 