南西方面艦隊
On 10 April 1942, the 1st Surface Escort Division of the Southwest Area Fleet was created, and Destroyer Division 32, including "Karukaya" was assigned to it to provide protection for convoys against Allied submarine activity. They initially escorted convoys running between Moji in Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines, but later added routes to Singapore, French Indochina, the Netherlands East Indies, and Palau. In the course of this service "Karukaya" set a record by successfully completing 54 convoy escorts before her loss.