Battle of Liaoyang
After the start of the Russo-Japanese War in February 1904, Tachibana was initially assigned to the staff of the Japanese Second Army, but a few months later received a combat posting to command the 1st Battalion of the IJA 34th Infantry Regiment. Twenty days later, on 31 August 1904 at the Battle of Liaoyang, while Japanese forces were on the offensive against a fortified height, Tachibana refused to follow orders to take cover in trenches because of the intense Russian fire, but announced his intent to charge the Russian position. He was immediately killed by Russian bullets the moment he left the safety of the trench.