In March 1938, Nakano was appointed commander of the IJA 13th Infantry Regiment, which was active in combat operations in central China (including the Battle of Wuhan in the Second Sino-Japanese War. In February 1939, he was transferred to the staff of the IJA 21st Army and was appointed bureau head of military intelligence in Guangzhou. In March 1939, Nakano was promoted to major general. In February 1940, his position came under the administrative control of the newly formed Japanese Southern China Area Army. Nakano briefly served as commander of the IJA 29th Infantry Brigade, and in December 1940 returned to the Kwangtung Army as Chief Military Advisor to the Imperial Manchukuo Army. In October 1941, he was promoted to lieutenant general.