Matsuba was born in Mie Prefecture on 25 October 1914.

He graduated with the 26th Pilot Training Class in March 1935.

In November 1936 Matsuba was assigned aboard the heavy aircraft carrier Kaga for service. The carrier took part in the China Incident, which started in July 1937.

Between 10 to 20 August the Kaga acted in support of the transportation of army units to China. Starting on 15 August it conducted aerial operations off Shanghai. As of 15 August, aircraft on board the Kaga consisted of 22 carrier attack aircraft (Mitsubishi B2Ms), 14 carrier bombers (Aichi D1A1s) and 16 A2N fighters.

On 16 August six A2Ns from Kaga commanded by Lieutenant Chikamasa Igarashi, engaged four enemy aircraft over Kiangwan. Three of the enemy aircraft were shot down, one Corsair and two Douglas O-38s. One of the Douglases was claimed jointly by Matsuba and another pilot. This was Matsuba first combat and first victory.

At the end of 1937 he returned to the Kasumigaura Kokutai and then was successively transferred to the Ryujo aircraft carrier, and then to the Iwakuni, Genzan and Oita Kokutais.
He claimed one more victory during the China Incident.

In November 1943 Matsuba was transferred to Fighter Hikotai 601, Kokutai 301.

At the end of June 1944 he advanced to Iwo Jima.

During intercept operations on 3 and 4 July he shot down six F6Fs.

In July he was transferred to the Fighter Hikotai 701, which was equipped with the Kawanishi N1K1-J ‘Shiden’.

As a member of the T Force, he participated in air combat operations off Taiwan and in the air battle for Leyte.

He was then transferred to Kokutai 343 and was twice wounded during air defence operations over Japan.

He had spent a total of ten years in flight operations by the time the war ended.

Ikuta ended the war with 1 shared biplane victory and a total of 18.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1937
	16/08/37	½	Douglas O-38	Shared destroyed	Nakajima A2N		Kiangwan	Kaga FS
	1944
?	03-04/07/44	1	F6F	Destroyed	Mitsubishi A6M		Iwo Jima	301 Kokutai
?	03-04/07/44	1	F6F	Destroyed	Mitsubishi A6M		Iwo Jima	301 Kokutai
?	03-04/07/44	1	F6F	Destroyed	Mitsubishi A6M		Iwo Jima	301 Kokutai
?	03-04/07/44	1	F6F	Destroyed	Mitsubishi A6M		Iwo Jima	301 Kokutai
?	03-04/07/44	1	F6F	Destroyed	Mitsubishi A6M		Iwo Jima	301 Kokutai
?	03-04/07/44	1	F6F	Destroyed	Mitsubishi A6M		Iwo Jima	301 Kokutai

Biplane victories: 1 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 18 and 1 shared destroyed.

Sources:
Japanese Naval Aces and Fighter Units in World War II - Ikuhiko Hata and Yasuho Izawa, translated by Don Cyril Gorham, 1989 United States Naval Institute, Annapolis, ISBN 0-87021-315-6