Afterwards, he served in the Imperial General Headquarters as chief of staff of the Inspectorate General of Military Training. He received a Palgwae royal medal in 1904. In January 1905, he attained the rank of lieutenant general, and soon thereafter assumed command of the newly raised, 14,000-strong IJA 13th Division, which he led during the invasion of Sakhalin. For his successful service in the war, he was conferred the title of baron ("danshaku") on 21 September 1907.