During the Battle of Midway in May 1942, "Numakaze" was assigned to the reserve force for the Aleutian Islands Operation, which did not leave Japanese waters. Afterwards, she returned to patrol and escort duties based out of Ōminato through July 1943, when the ship was assigned temporarily to the IJN 5th Fleet for the mission to evacuate surviving Japanese forces from Kiska. On 6 June 1943, "Numakaze" suffered damage in a collision with the destroyer . "Numakaze" continued to be based at Ōminato for patrol and escort in northern waters until December 1943.