Yoshida was promoted to lieutenant commander in 1915, and commander in 1919, serving in a variety of administrative positions, primarily concerned with training. After his promotion to captain in 1923, he was given his first command in 1924; the cruiser Hirado. He served as chief of staff of the Maizuru Naval District from 1924 to 1925. In December 1927, he assumed command of the battleshipKongō, and from December 1928, battleship Mutsu. He was promoted to rear admiral on 30 November 1929. [1]
Yoshida served as chief-of-staff of the Combined Fleet from December 1931 to September 1933 and was promoted to vice admiral on 15 November 1934, and Director, Bureau of Naval Affairs, within the Navy Ministry. He was then made commander of the Training Fleet from February to December 1936, and of the IJN 2nd Fleet from December 1936, and commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet to December 1937.[1]
Political career
On 30 August 1939, Yoshida became Navy Minister under the cabinet of Prime MinisterAbe Nobuyuki. He continued in the same position under the administrations of Yonai Mitsumasa and Konoe Fumimaro. As Navy Minister, Yoshida was vehement in his opposition to signing of the Tripartite Pact between Imperial Japan, Nazi Germany, and Fascist Italy. He also strongly opposed the idea of war against the United States. He was forced to resign due to illness and opposition to the pact on 5 September 1940, just before the arrival of the negotiating team from Germany, and the treaty went ahead despite his strong misgivings.[2]
Yoshida was promoted to full admiral on 15 November 1940 and was made a member of the Supreme War Council. After the start of World War II, Yoshida was assigned a combat command, and took control of the China Area Fleet from November 1942. In December 1943 he became commandant of the Naval Staff College, and from May 1944 was commander of the Yokosuka Naval District. He entered the reserves in June 1945. [1]