Japan actually received five Me109s in 1941 to test fly. The Japanese found it inferior actually to what they had. Read Francillon's. The Ki-61 program began with the DB.601 engine in 1937 which became the Ha 40.

The several of the Me109s (possibly the one in your pictures) were actually tested against the Ki-61 (as well as a captured P-40 Warhawk) and the Japanese thought the Ki-61 was superior to both.

There was no Me109 to work of off for the Kawasaki team. The Ki-61 was already built and flying by the time the Me109s arrived.

Strevitel you attempt to make generalizations with false assumptions.

Lookie here, a P-40 with the RAF roundel. http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/t_imag...tyhawkii_t.jpg.

So in your analogy, you could make the ludicrous claim the British had copied the Kitty Hawk for the Spitfire because both were inline engined fighters.