Unusual Japanese Mess Kit

I recently bought this, which I thought was the cook pot to a regular alluminum WWII Japanese mess kit, but it doesn't conform to any I've seen yet. Notice especially how it swells at the top, whereas ones I've found pictured ( and the German ones they're a copy of ) are indented to accept the lid/pan part. Also, the odd "jointed" iron bail handle. I thought maybe this is earlier than WWII? It has below the lip what looks like the Nagoya arsenal mark I've seen on bayonets, which appears to be a stylized crane whose raised wings form the arc of the circle; the neck/head/beak are detailed too, even showing 2 "eyes"! There are also a pair of Hirgana characters below the "crane". ( My camera won't take photos any closer than this. ) There are a very few flecks of olive paint visible in spots like around the measuring indentations. Any help, speculation or ideas are most welcome!