Afterwards, her aircraft were disembarked several times in mid to late 1943 and used from land bases in a number of battles in the South West Pacific. "Zuihō" participated in the Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf in mid-1944. In this last battle, "Zuihō" mainly served as a decoy for the main striking forces and she was finally sunk by American aircraft fulfilling her task. In between engagements, the ship served as a ferry carrier and a training ship.