The Wakatake-class destroyers were essentially slightly modified Momi-class ships with a deeper draft to improve handling characteristics in heavy seas, particularly against rolling.

The small displacement and shallow draft of the Wakatake class limited their use as fleet escorts.

They initially escorted convoys running between Moji in Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines, but later added routes to Singapore, French Indochina, the Netherlands East Indies, and Palau.

In the course of this service Karukaya set a record by successfully completing 54 convoy escorts before her loss.

[3] Karukaya was torpedoed and sunk by the submarine USS Cod in the South China Sea west of Luzon on 10 May 1944,[2] at 15°47′N 119°32′E / 15.783°N 119.533°E / 15.783; 119.533.