In early 1942, she escorted troop convoys to Lingayen, Tarakan, Balikpapan and Makassar in the Netherlands East Indies. During the Battle of the Java Sea, she engaged in an exchange of gunnery with the British destroyer , and suffered light damage with four crewmen wounded. On 1 March, together with , "Minegumo" unsuccessfully attacked the American submarine with depth charges. After participation in the Battle of Christmas Island on 31 March – 10 April, she escorted the damaged cruiser to Singapore, and returned at the end of the month to the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal for repairs.