Yep, Rich Dunn and Jim Lansdale at J-Aircraft.com can answer any questions. But there's also a Tarawa web site.............
The "Tarawa" story from the Japanese perspective is detailed at this link:
http://www.tarawaontheweb.org/stanjersy1.htm
It was 755 Ko with G4M Type 1 land attack bombers (BETTY) that was based at Betio airstrip on Tarawa. It did fly maritime patrols, it did attack the U.S. B-24 bases on the islands to the east, it did spot the Marine landing force while it was still 100 miles east of Tarawa and it did attack the U.S. carrier strike force on the 19th of November. It's all there and quite interesting, too.
Larry