He was assigned as commander of Destroyer Group 10, followed by captain of the cruisers Naka, Atago, Chōkai, and battleships Mutsu and Yamashiro.

In May 1942, from CruDiv6, Gotō commanded an element of the "Main Body Support Force," providing cover, along with the light aircraft carrier Shōhō, for the Operation Mo offensive, including landings on Tulagi and an attempted assault on Port Moresby, New Guinea that resulted in the Battle of the Coral Sea.

During the battle, U.S. aircraft attacked and sank Shōhō, with Gotō's cruisers located too far away to provide anti-aircraft protection for the carrier, for the loss of Lexington.

CruDiv6, with other Japanese warships and under the overall command of Gunichi Mikawa, participated in the Battle of Savo Island on 8 August 1942 resulting in the sinking of four Allied cruisers.

On 11 October, the remaining three cruisers of CruDiv6 approached Guadalcanal at night to bombard the Allied airbase at Henderson Field as well as to support a large "Tokyo Express" run occurring the same evening.