Hara commanded a Japanese destroyer or destroyer division in many significant Pacific sea battles. As captain of the "Amatsukaze" Commander Hara participated in the Battle of the Java Sea, the sinking of the submarine and the occupation of Christmas Island. He wrote in his memoirs of having sunk another submarine in a night action after detecting it when he saw a sailor topside on the vessel light a cigarette an estimated 4,000 meters away. On 13 November 1942 Hara’s "Amatsukaze" sank the during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal but was severely damaged in turn after Hara left his searchlights on too long and drew intense fire from light cruiser .