A noted China expert within the Japanese military, he was a leading figure in the Trautmann mediation effort to bring a negotiated end to the war.

After attending military preparatory schools, he graduated from the 15th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1903, specializing in the artillery, and as a junior officer, served with the IJA 18th Field Artillery Regiment at the Siege of Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War.

He graduated from the 25th class of the Army War College in 1913. the same year, he married a daughter of Daisaku Komoto, who was later famous for his involvement in the Huanggutun incident to assassinate Chinese warlord Zhang Zuolin.

With the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, he was recalled to Japan in August 1937 to become Vice Chief of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff.

He retired from active military service two months later and moved to Tateyama, Chiba for the remainder of the war.

He was charged with "Class A" war crimes, and was called as a witness for the prosecution against Iwane Matsui, Seishiro Itagaki, and Kenji Dohihara.