▁the ▁I J A ▁ 2 2 nd ▁Army , ▁a ▁g arrison ▁force ▁in ▁Gu ang xi ▁which ▁fought ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁South ▁Gu ang xi ▁and ▁which ▁was ▁dis band ed ▁for ▁its ▁in sub ord ination ▁in ▁inv ading ▁French ▁Ind och ina . ▁Nak ai ▁was ▁sent ▁back ▁to ▁Tokyo , ▁but ▁returned ▁later ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁Ind och ina ▁Ex ped ition ary ▁Army . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁brief ▁st int ▁as ▁an ▁instruct or ▁at ▁the ▁Toy ama ▁Army ▁Infantry ▁School , ▁Nak ai ▁was ▁assigned ▁the ▁post ▁of ▁chief - of - st aff ▁of ▁the ▁I J A ▁ 2 0 th ▁Division , ▁based ▁in ▁Korea . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁the ▁I J A ▁ 2 0 th ▁Division ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁Japanese ▁E igh teenth ▁Army ▁in ▁the ▁Southern ▁Area ▁Command ▁( e astern ▁New ▁Guinea ). ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁Nak ai ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁major ▁general ▁and ▁placed ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁inf antry ▁group . ▁On ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁General ▁Sh iger u ▁Kat ag iri ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁Nak ai ▁became ▁acting ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁I J A ▁ 2 0 th ▁Division . ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁lieutenant ▁general . ▁He ▁and ▁his ▁surv iving ▁forces ▁held ▁out ▁against ▁the ▁Australian ▁Army