He graduated from the 24th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in May 1912 and initially served with the IJA 23rd Infantry Regiment.

Nakano rose to the position of bureau head of the Jirin Special Agency in 1931, and military advisor to the Manchukuo Imperial Army in 1935.

In March 1938, Nakano was appointed commander of the IJA 13th Infantry Regiment, which was active in combat operations in central China (including the Battle of Wuhan in the Second Sino-Japanese War.

[3][4] The division subsequently took part in the Salamaua–Lae campaign and other combat operations throughout 1943–45, fighting against Australian and United States forces.

However, Imperial General Headquarters issued a direct order to Nakano not to make a suicidal stand, but to withdraw if he could not hold the town.