During the Pacific War, she supported Japanese operations during the Malayan, Dutch East Indies, and Guadalcanal Campaigns.

[2] From 1937 to 1938, Hakaze was assigned to patrols of the northern and central China coastlines in support of Japanese combat operations in the Second Sino-Japanese War.

The destroyer's primary mission in the early stages of the Pacific War was to transport materials to Miri and Kuching in Sarawak and to Kota Bharu in Malaya for the construction of forward air bases.

In February 1942, after providing support for Operation L (the invasion of Palembang on Sumatra in the Netherlands East Indies), Hakaze was based out of Bangka, from which she made anti-submarine patrols.

In May, Hakaze was based at Rabaul in the Solomon Islands, from which the destroyer supported the attempted Operation Mo (the invasion of Port Moresby).

While escorting the seaplane tender Akitsushima, she attacked the submarine USS Guardfish but was in turn torpedoed and sunk on 23 January 1943 approximately 15 miles (24 km) south of Kavieng, New Ireland at position 02°47′S 150°38′E / 2.783°S 150.633°E / -2.783; 150.633.