She was requisitioned in 1941 by the Imperial Japanese Navy for use during World War II.

On 8 December 1941, she was assigned to Operation "G", the invasion of Guam as one of 10 transports carrying Major General Horii Tomitaro's 55th Infantry Corps.

[3] The naval operation was headed by the 4th Fleet operating out of Saipan consisting of minelayer Tsugaru as flagship; seaplane tender Kiyokawa Maru; 4 cruisers, Aoba, Furutaka, Kako, Kinugasa (Cruiser Division 6, detached from 1st Fleet); and 4 destroyers, Oboro (detached from Carrier Division 5 of the IJN 1st Air Fleet), and Kikuzuki, Uzuki, and Yūzuki (Destroyer Division 23, detached from Carrier Division 2, IJN 1st Air Fleet).

[3][4] On 10 March 1942, during the invasion of Lae-Salamaua, China Maru was damaged by SBD aircraft from the United States Navy aircraft carriers USS Lexington and USS Yorktown off Lae, New Guinea.

On 21 September 1944, while anchored off Manila, Philippines, China Maru was hit by bombs from US Navy Task Force 38.1, 38.2, and 38.3 aircraft, and sunk at 14°35′N 120°55′E / 14.583°N 120.917°E / 14.583; 120.917.