At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, "Akatsuki" was assigned to Destroyer Division 6 of Desron 1 of the IJN 1st Fleet, and had deployed from Mako Guard District to provide cover for landing operations in British Malaya and later for in operations against the Netherlands East Indies, including the invasion of western Java and in the Philippines. She attacked, but failed to sink the submarine on 17 March 1942.