nˌɪɪtˈɑːkə wʌz ɐsˈaɪnd tə pɐtɹˈoʊlz ʌvðə kˈoʊsts ʌv sˈʌðɚn tʃˈaɪnə ænd ðə nˈɔːɹðɚn ˈɛdʒᵻz ʌvðə nˈɛðɜːləndz ˈiːst ˈɪndiz ɪnðə sˈaʊθ tʃˈaɪnə sˈiː fɹʌm mˈeɪ sɛptˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti wˈʌn, ænd ˌɔn wˈʌn sɛptˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti wˈʌn, wʌz ɹˌiːdˈɛzɪɡnˌeɪɾᵻd ɐ sˈɛkənd klˈæs kˈoʊstəl dᵻfˈɛns vˈɛsəl.
Niitaka was assigned to patrols of the coasts of southern China and the northern edges of the Netherlands East Indies in the South China Sea from May–September 1921, and on 1 September 1921, was re-designated a 2nd class coastal defense vessel.