[1] Lieutenant Fumito Inoue became the leader (Hikōtaichō) of the 2nd Air Group when it was formed on 31 May 1942 in Yokosuka, Empire of Japan.

Afterwards, he led the surviving four to Shortland Islands, where they ditched and were picked up by the seaplane tender Akitsushima and one Kawanishi H8K flying boat.

[2][4][5] On 24 August, Lieutenant Inoue led eight dive bombers to Buna airfield, where they participated unsuccessful invasion of Milne Bay.

On 6 December, he resumed leading the raids himself, where he made an attack on Allied ships around Buna with nine dive bombers.

The next day, while leading six dive bombers in another raid, he was wounded in his left ankle and was then withdrawn from combat operations.