Biography of the Ace from the Japanese Wikipedia that approaches the subject in a completely different way than the English version:
Muto Kaneyoshi (August 18, 1916 – July 24, 1945) was a Japanese naval officer. He was a flying ace during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific War; he was posthumously promoted two ranks, ultimately attaining the rank of Navy Lieutenant (Junior Grade).
**Biography**
He was born on August 18, 1916, in Oharu Village (present-day Oharu Town), Ama District, Aichi Prefecture, as the third son in a family of seven siblings (sisters and brothers)...His father had served in the Russo-Japanese War and was awarded the Order of the Golden Kite. At Kaneyoshi's strong urging, his younger brother Mitsuharu took the entrance exam for the Imperial Japanese Navy Academy; he passed as a member of the 73rd class and also became a fighter pilot. Mitsuharu recalled, "While my older brother had a bold and spirited personality, I believe he was extremely affectionate toward his parents and siblings. He was particularly considerate of our parents and showed exceptional filial piety. He was especially fond of me among the siblings; I still vividly remember the joy I felt when, during his leave from the Navy, he bought me things like an air gun and a camera—items my father would never have bought for me."...
On June 1, 1935, he enlisted in the Kure Naval Barracks and was assigned to the destroyer "Uranami". On December 23, 1935, he was selected as a trainee in the 32nd class of the pilot training program. He graduated from the course in July 1936 and underwent advanced training at the Omura Kokutai.
The Second Sino-Japanese War
In October 1937, he was assigned to the 13th Kokutai. He deployed to Shanghai and participated in the "China Incident". On December 4, 1937, he shot down an I-16 fighter piloted by Yue Yiqin of the Republic of China Armed Forces over Nanjing; this marked Muto's first aerial victory. On December 12, he was transferred to the 12th Kokutai. He distinguished himself in attacks on Nanjing, Nanchang, and Hankou, ultimately shooting down a total of five Republic of China aircraft and becoming an ace pilot of the China Incident. He returned to Japan in October 1938 and served as an instructor at kokutai including Oita, Suzuka, and Genzan. During his time at the Oita Kokutai, he also served as an instructor to Nishizawa Hiroyoshi.
The Pacific War
In September 1941, he was assigned to the 3rd Kokutai. On December 8, at the outbreak of the Pacific War, he participated in the attack on Clark Field in the Philippines, flying as the wingman (number two) to Lieutenant Yokoyama Tamotsu.
In April 1942, he was assigned to the Genzan Kokutai (renamed the 252nd Kokutai in November of that year). According to Lieutenant Mimori Kazumasa, even when other wingmen drifted away, Muto would stay right by his side; Mimori recalled that Muto's mere presence was reassuring, as he would say, "Rest assured, I will not leave your side no matter what happens."
Miyazaki Isamu described Muto as a small-statured yet cheerful and lively man who was liked by everyone, recalling: "Muto-san often cracked jokes and made those around him laugh. The tougher things got for him personally, the more he strove to act cheerfully and boost everyone's morale. Because of this, everyone affectionately called him 'Kin-san' or 'Kin-chan'" [or "Kane-san, Kane-chan"]. He participated in operations such as the Solomon Islands air campaign. On October 21, 1943, he married his wife, Kiyoko; because Muto was so busy, their wedding photograph was created by splicing together two separate individual portraits. According to Kiyoko, he was overjoyed when their only daughter was born, feeling relieved that his lineage would continue.
In November 1944, he served as an instructor at the Yokosuka Kokutai. In June 1944, he joined the Yawata Air Raid Defense Unit as part of a detachment from the Yokosuka Kokutai and deployed to Iwo Jima. On June 24, he engaged in intercepting U.S. Navy Task Force 58 aircraft—including Grumman F6F fighters—and later that day provided escort for an attack squadron, flying as the wingman to Lieutenant Sadao Yamaguchi. He participated in intercepting U.S. carrier-based aircraft units on July 3 and 4. After losing their aircraft to air raid damage, the detachment returned to the Japanese mainland. On February 17, 1945, flying a single orange-painted "Shiden-kai" fighter, he challenged a formation of twelve Grumman aircraft that had appeared over Atsugi Air Base and reported shooting down two of them. His tactic of luring enemy planes away from the group one by one to shoot them down was reminiscent of the duel at Ichijoji-sagarimatsu fought by the legendary swordsman Musashi Miyamoto; from that time on, he became known within the Navy by the nickname "Musashi Miyamoto of the Skies". When his colleague Yamazaki Taku parachuted into the Sugita area of Isogo Ward, Yokohama, and was killed by locals with bamboo spears after being mistaken for an American soldier, Muto was enraged and contemplated strafing the area in retaliation.
In June 1945, he was transferred to the Fighter Squadron 301 (nicknamed "Shinsengumi") of the 343rd Kokutai. Captain Genda Minoru, the group's commander, had specifically requested him, seeking someone capable of serving as a wingman to protect the squadron leader, Lieutenant Kanno Naoshi, following the death in action of CPO Sugita Shoichi on April 15. Negotiations regarding the transfer—originally proposed as an exchange involving ENS Saburo Sakai—faced difficulties but were ultimately finalized after consultation with personnel bureau officials. The Yokosuka Kokutai opposed the exchange, with Lieutenant Tsukamoto Yuzo voicing particularly strong objections. Consequently, the terms were adjusted so that the 343Ku would release two pilots—ENS Sakai Saburo and ENS Noguchi Kijiro—in the exchange. Upon assuming his post, Muto promised Commander Genda, "Now that I am here, I will not let the squadron leader die".
Death in Action
On July 24, 1945, Muto took off from Omura as part of a 21-plane formation to intercept carrier-based aircraft from a U.S. task force that outnumbered them more than tenfold. During the ensuing engagement over the Bungo Channel, Muto attacked enemy formations and engaged aircraft that were targeting Squadron Leader Kanno. Amidst the fierce combat, Muto honored his promise to Commander Genda, but he failed to return from the mission. While the specific details of his fate remained unknown, the 343Ku lost six pilots that day, including Muto and Squadron Leader Oshibuchi Takashi. The unit was subsequently commended and received a formal message of praise from the Emperor for their actions in this battle. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Lieutenant (Junior Grade). His confirmed aerial victory count during the Pacific War was 30 aircraft.
Model Art #439 "HEROES OF THE IJNAF IN 1937-1945," written by Osuo Kazuhiko, featured artwork by Nohara Shigeru that attributed Kawanishi "Shiden" Model 21 with tail marking "ヨ-104" to LTJG Muto. It was not the first time. Earlier Japanese publications also did so. Unfortunately, I have not located any photos of "Shiden" "ヨ-104" or other evidence that supports this claim, so I suppose this was based on veterans' recollections.
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