Its call sign was the Oak Division (柏兵団, Kashiwa Heidan).

It was formed on 10 July 1940 at Kanazawa, simultaneously with the 51st, 54th, 55th, 56th, and 57th divisions.

The men of the 52nd Division were recruited from Ishikawa, Toyama and Nagano prefectures.

In January 1944, the 52nd Division was reformed as marine division, absorbing artillery and engineer units into infantry regiments, and sent to Chuuk Lagoon, to be incorporated into the 31st Army formed on 18 February 1944.

As the Allies had bypassed the Japanese forces at Chuuk Lagoon (Truk) and the other eastern Caroline Islands, the 52nd Division saw little action or hardship besides the U.S. Navy's attacks during Operation Hailstone.