In April 1935, he was commissioned as an Ensign, and in November was selected for the navy pilot training program at Kasumigaura Air Group.

After completion of the course, he was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade in December 1936 and was then assigned to Ōmura Air Group on Kyushu, where he received advanced training on dive bombing.

In 1937, he was transferred to China and assigned to 12th Air Group, where he participated in several aerial operations during the Second Sino-Japanese War, including around Shanghai and Nanjing.

[1] In November 1938, Takahashi was promoted to full Lieutenant and was transferred to Ryūjō in December, where he was appointed flight division leader (Buntaichō) in the dive bomber squadron.

He led 27 Aichi D3A dive bombers in the second strike wave against United States Navy (USN) fleet.

[3] In late October 1942, Lieutenant Takahashi participated in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, where he led 21 Aichi D3A dive bombers in the first strike wave against the US carriers.