Burma National Army
Subsequently, as commander of the Infantry Group of the IJA 55th Division, Sakurai was assigned to the Japanese Burma Area Army and served as military advisor to the Burma National Army. He was the main Japanese commander at the Battle of the Admin Box in February 1944. After his return to Japan in April 1945, he was appointed commander of the IJA 212th Division, one of the new divisions raised to contest Operation Coronet, the projected American invasion of Japan, and was based near his native Fukuoka at the time of the surrender of Japan.