In February 1906, Yoshida was assigned as executive officer on the battleship . He was promoted to commander in 1906, and assigned as executive officer to the cruiser , followed by in 1907. He was promoted to captain in January 1911. From January 1914 to February 1915, he served as an intelligence officer in China, which included the period of Japanese naval operations in China during the Siege of Tsingtao in World War I. From February to December 1916, he was captain of the cruiser .