Battle of Kula Gulf
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.