Takahashi later served on the carrier "Kaga" before he was transferred to the 13th Air Group operating in China. He was eventually promoted to Lieutenant Commander and became Air Group Commander (Hikōtaichō) of the carrier "Shōkaku". He led Aichi D3A dive bombers during the Attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 and during the Bombing of Rabaul in January 1942. In April 1942, he participated in the Indian Ocean Raid, where he led the strike force that sank the British carrier "Hermes".