ˌɔn fˈɪftiːn dʒˈænjuːˌɛɹi nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi fˈaɪv sækˈɑːwə bɪkˌeɪm flˈæɡʃɪp ʌv dᵻstɹˈɔɪɚ skwˈɑːdɹən ɪlˈɛvən, tɹˈeɪnɪŋ wɪð nˈuː dᵻstɹˈɔɪɚz ɪnðɪ ˈɪnlənd sˈiː, ænd pɑːɹtˈɪsᵻpˌeɪɾɪŋ ɪn ɐ sˈɪɹiz ʌv tˈɛsts əvə nˈuː ˈæntaɪɹˈeɪdɑːɹ sˈʌbmɚɹˌiːn kˈoʊɾɪŋ.
On 15 January 1945 Sakawa became flagship of Destroyer Squadron 11, training with new destroyers in the Inland Sea, and participating in a series of tests of a new anti-radar submarine coating.