A native of Aichi Prefecture, Sugiura graduated from the 46th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1918.

Sugiura was promoted to captain on November 15, 1940, and assigned command of Destroyer Group 17 shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Sugiura became commander of Destroyer Group 4 (Hagikaze, flagship, Arashi, Shigure and Kawakaze) on February 20, 1943, and was thus in a central role in the Battle of Vella Gulf from August 6–7, 1943.

The many Japanese soldiers and sailors left floating in the water after their ships sank refused rescue by the American destroyers.

He was killed on May 16, 1945, when his ship was sunk by Royal Navy warships during the Battle of the Malacca Strait off Penang, Malaysia.