A cikin amsar saukowar Allied a kan Guadalcanal, Babban Ofishin Janar na Japan Ichikawa ya sanya Sojoji na 17 na Sojojin Japan, wani kwamandan kwamandan da ke zaune a Rabaul kuma a karkashin jagorancin Lieutenant-General Harukichi Hyakutake, tare da aikin sake dawo da Guadalcanal daga sojojin Allied. Sojoji na 17 da ke da hannu sosai a halin yanzu a yakin Japan a New Guinea, suna da 'yan raka'a kaɗan kawai da za a aika zuwa kudancin yankin Solomons. Daga cikin waɗannan rukunin, Brigade na 35 na Infantry a ƙarƙashin Major General Kiyotake Kawaguchi yana Palau, 4th (A) Infantry Regiment yana cikin ruwan Philippines, kuma 28th (I) Infantry Regiment, a ƙarƙashin jagorancin Colonel Ichikawa Kiyunga, yana kan hanyar zuwa teku daga Guadalcanal.
Kiyotake Kawaguchi