at maizuru naval arsenal, "natori"s no. 5 and no.7 140 mm guns were removed as were her catapult and derrick. a twin type 89 127 mm ha gun was fitted, as were two triple mount type 96 25 mm aa guns. this brought "natori"s 25 mm aa suite to fourteen barrels (2x3, 2x2, 4x1). a type 21 air-search radar was fitted and hydrophones were installed at her bow. repairs and modernization were completed on 1 april 1944, and "natori" was assigned as the flagship of the central pacific fleet's destroyer squadron 3.