[3] On 29 July 1929 Java, the destroyers De Ruyter and Evertsen, and the submarines K II and K VII left Surabaya and steamed to Tanjung Priok.

There the ships waited for the royal yacht Maha Chakri of the King of Siam and the destroyer Phra Ruang.

[4] On 23 August 1936 Java, her sister ship Sumatra and the destroyers Van Galen, Witte de With and Piet Hein were present at the fleet days held at Surabaya.

Later that year on 13 November she and her sister and the destroyers Evertsen, Witte de With and Piet Hein made a fleet visit to Singapore.

[7] As the war with Japan began in December 1941, Java performed convoy duties in conjunction with British forces.

On 15 February 1942, the force which Java was a part of was attacked by "Kate" bombers from the carrier Ryūjō although no damage was sustained.

On 19 February, the ABDA naval forces sailed to Bali to attempt to disrupt Japanese landings there, and the Java took part in the Battle of Badung Strait.