Kenji Doihara
With the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War, Sano served as Chief of Staff of the IJA 14th Division from August 1937. Under the command of Lieutenant General Kenji Doihara, the division participated in the Beiping–Hankou Railway Operation and in the Northern and Eastern Honan campaign including the Battle of Lanfeng. In July 1938, Sano was promoted to major general and transferred to command the IJA 4th Heavy Field Artillery Brigade. He became commandant of the Army Field Artillery School from August 1940. In march 1941, he was promoted to lieutenant general.