Kasumi (霞, "Haze")[1] was the ninth of ten Asashio-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the mid-1930s under the Circle Two Supplementary Naval Expansion Program (Maru Ni Keikaku).

At the end of the month, she was making patrols south of Java, and on March 1, Kasumi along with other destroyers was tasked with locating the Dutch freighter Modjokerto.

Kasumi, along with the destroyers Shiranui and Isokaze, blasted Modjokerto with her 5-inch (127 mm) guns and sank the freighter in 3 minutes.

While approximately 7 nautical miles (13 km; 8.1 mi) east of Kiska at 52°0′N 177°40′E / 52.000°N 177.667°E / 52.000; 177.667 on 5 July, she was hit amidships by a torpedo fired by the submarine USS Growler, which severed her bow, killing 10 crewmen.

On 1 September 1943, as part of Desdiv 9, Desron 1 of the IJN 5th Fleet, Kasumi was reassigned to northern waters, making patrols from her base at Paramushiro and Shumushu until the end of November.

In December, she made a transport run to convey replacement aircrews from Yokosuka to Kwajalein and Wotje, returning with the cruiser Mogami to Maizuru.

She escorted a troop convoy to Ormoc on 5 November, and was damaged by strafing in another American air raid later that month, which killed one crewman.