Born in Toyama prefecture, Kawabe graduated from the 24th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1912, with a specialty in field artillery.

Assigned as resident staff officer in Riga, Latvia in 1926, Kawabe studied Soviet affairs for two years before his return to Japan.

After three years, Kawabe was stationed in Moscow as a military attaché until 1934, when he was sent to the Kwantung Army as a staff officer and chief of its intelligence section.

While serving with the Kwantung Army, Kawabe became involved in the Japanese government's efforts, through local Chinese warlord Li Shouxin, to gain control of Chahar Province in northeast Inner Mongolia.

After promotion to major general in 1938, Kawabe was again posted overseas as a military attaché, this time to Berlin, Germany and to Budapest, Hungary for two years.