He graduated from the 42nd class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1914, ranked 5th out of 117 cadets.

He was assigned to a fighter squadron in Yokosuka Naval Air Group from December 1919, where he rose to become a flight commander.

On his return to Japan, he was assigned as squadron commander at Yokosuka from June 1924 and as an instructor at the Kasumigaura Air Group from December 1925.

He was again sent as naval attaché to France from June 1935 to March 1938, during which he participated in the Geneva Disarmament Conference.

Yamada was transferred from November 1942 to December 1943 to serve as Chief of Staff for the 3rd Fleet.