He was promoted to lieutenant in 1919, and served on the destroyer , and various staff positions. After graduating from the 18th class of Naval War College (Japan) in 1918 and his promotion to lieutenant commander in 1920, he served as a staff officer on the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff, and also on the martial law headquarters for the Kantō region after the Great Kanto earthquake of 1923. In 1924, Hosogaya was promoted to commander and became executive officer on the cruiser . In 1927–1928, he visited the United States and Europe, and in 1928 became executive officer on the battleship .