, ▁Ko yan agi ▁was ▁captain ▁of ▁the ▁batt les hip ▁. ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁rear ▁adm iral ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁ ▁Later , ▁Ko yan agi ▁commanded ▁Dest roy er ▁Squadron ▁ 1 0 ▁( Des R on ▁ 1 0 ) ▁during ▁the ▁Gu adal can al ▁Camp aign . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁Chief ▁of ▁Staff ▁of ▁the ▁I J N ▁ 2 nd ▁Fle et ▁under ▁Admir al ▁Take o ▁Kur ita ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁▁▁ ▁A ▁strong ▁bel ie ver ▁in ▁the ▁Kant ai ▁k essen ▁naval ▁doctrine ▁of ▁a ▁decis ive ▁battle , ▁Ko yan agi ▁critic ized ▁the ▁battle ▁plans ▁for ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ley te ▁G ulf ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁as ▁the ▁plan ▁called ▁for ▁concentr ating ▁Japanese ▁attacks ▁on ▁enemy ▁trans ports ▁rather ▁than ▁war ships . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Ley te ▁campaign , ▁he ▁was ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁flags hip ▁At ago ▁with ▁Kur ita ▁when ▁the ▁fleet ▁was ▁amb ushed ▁by ▁the ▁American ▁sub mar ines ▁ ▁and ▁. ▁At ago ▁was ▁hit ▁by ▁four ▁tor ped o es ▁from ▁D arter ▁and ▁caps ized ▁at ▁ 0 5 : 5 3 ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁Ko yan agi ▁surv ived ▁and ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁batt les hip ▁ ▁with ▁Kur ita . ▁He ▁was ▁later ▁sever ely ▁injured ▁by ▁fragments ▁from ▁a ▁near ▁miss ▁on ▁ 2 6