クラ湾夜戦
On the night of 5–6 July 1943, "Niizuki" led another troop transport run to Kolombangara. In the Battle of Kula Gulf, she was sunk by gunfire from a U.S. cruiser-destroyer group, east of Kolombangara (). All 290 people including the captain, the crew, and the command of 3rd Destroyer squadron were killed.