Southwest Area Fleet
From 10 March 1942 "Hatakaze" and Destroyer Division 5 were reassigned to the Southwest Area Fleet and escorted troop convoys from Singapore to Penang, and Rangoon. From 5 May, she was reassigned back to the Yokosuka Naval District, where the destroyer served as a guard ship in Tokyo Bay until September. On 25 September, she escorted the aircraft carrier from Kure Naval Arsenal to Truk, and from there she escorted convoys on to Rabaul and back to Palau, returning to Yokosuka on 24 November to resume her duties as a guard ship.