How strong is the case for Japan's 100 mm gun?

Why is the Japanese 100 mm gun so highly regarded despite limited production and a short barrel life?

The accounts referred to rate it as fairly practical, but the number of aircraft it destroyed or drove off remains unanswered.

Limited production, a claimed barrel life of 350-400 rounds, and service in relatively few ships prompt doubt about the gun's reputation. The response is modest: the accounts consulted rate it as fairly practical. That judgment leaves the requested comparison of aircraft destroyed or driven off unresolved.