 Anodzorerwa kuJapan mukupera kwa1938, Higuchi akashanda kwenguva pfupi mu Imperial Japanese Army General Staff asati apiwa basa semukuru mukuru weIJA 9th Division muna 1939. Muna 1942, akasimudzirwa kuva lieutenant general ndokuiswa kuSapporo-based 5th Area Army. Akatora rutivi mukupinda muzviwi zveAleutian, kubatanidza nhimbe dzinoparadza paAttu Island neKiska Island. Gare gare, semutungamiri weNorthern District Army akaronga kuzvidzivirira kuchamhembe kweJapan kurwisa kupindirwa nemauto eAllied, achisimbisa chitsuwa cheShumshu kuchamhembe kweKurile Islands, uye kudzivirira kweSouth Sakhalin Island. 