Japanese Tanks

Wiki book
Contents

1 Tanks in the Japanese Army 1

1.1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Developments inuencing Japanese tank design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.3 Naming system for tanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.4 Post World War I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.5 World War II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.6 Post World War II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.7 Overview per tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.7.1 Type 87 Chi-I medium tank (experimental 1st tank) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.7.2 Type 94 tankette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.7.3 Type 97 Te-Ke light tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.7.4 Type 89 Chi-Ro medium tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.7.5 Type 95 Ha-Go light tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.7.6 Type 98 light tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.7.7 Type 2 Ke-To light tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.7.8 Type 4 Ke-Nu light tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.7.9 Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.7.10 Type 1 Chi-He medium tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.7.11 Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.7.12 Type 4 Chi-To medium tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.7.13 Type 5 Chi-Ri medium tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.7.14 Experimental Type 5 Ho-Ri tank destroyer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.7.15 O-I superheavy tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.7.16 Amphibious tanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.7.17 Tank destroyers and assault guns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.7.18 German-inuenced variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
1.8 Post World War II tanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
1.8.1 Japanese Type 61 tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
1.8.2 Japanese Type 74 tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.8.3 Japanese Type 90 tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.8.4 Japanese Type 10 tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.9 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

i
ii CONTENTS

1.10 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
1.11 External links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

2 Japanese tanks of World War II 18

2.1 Initial tank procurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2.2 Doctrine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2.3 Japanese designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.3.1 Type 87 Chi-I medium tank (Experimental 1st tank) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.3.2 Type 89 Chi-Ro medium tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.3.3 Type 95 Ha-Go light tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.3.4 Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.3.5 Type 98 Ke-Ni light tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2.3.6 Type 1 Chi-He medium tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2.3.7 Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2.3.8 Type 4 Chi-To medium tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.3.9 Type 5 Chi-Ri medium tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.3.10 Experimental Type 5 Ho-Ri tank destroyer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.3.11 O-I superheavy tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.3.12 Amphibious tanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2.3.13 Overall production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2.4 See also . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2.5 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2.5.1 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2.5.2 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2.6 External links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

3 Type 89 I-Go 25
3.1 History and development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.2 Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.3 Variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3.4 Combat history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3.4.1 Battle of Khalkhin Gol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
3.4.2 Other Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
3.5 World War II Japanese units equipped with the Type 89 Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
3.6 Survivors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3.7 In Popular Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3.8 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3.9 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
3.10 External links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

4 Type 95 Ha-Go 30
4.1 History and development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
CONTENTS iii

4.2 Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
4.3 Variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
4.4 Combat history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
4.4.1 Khalkhin Gol (Nomonhan) 1939 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
4.4.2 British Malaya and Burma 1941 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
4.4.3 America's rst clash of armor in World War II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
4.4.4 10-year-old warhorse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
4.4.5 China-Burma-India theater of operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
4.4.6 Manchuria and the Kuril Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
4.5 Survivors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
4.6 Japanese WWII units equipped with Type 95 Ha-G . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
4.7 Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
4.8 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
4.9 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
4.10 External links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

5 Type 98 Ke-Ni 40
5.1 History and development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
5.2 Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
5.3 Variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
5.4 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
5.5 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
5.6 External links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

6 Type 3 Chi-Nu 42
6.1 History and development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
6.2 Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
6.2.1 Armor and Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
6.2.2 Armament . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
6.2.3 Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
6.3 Service record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
6.4 Variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
6.5 See also . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
6.5.1 Tanks of comparable role, performance, and era . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
6.6 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
6.7 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
6.8 External links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

7 Type 5 Chi-Ri 45
7.1 History and development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
7.2 Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
7.3 Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
iv CONTENTS

7.4 Variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
7.5 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
7.6 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
7.7 External links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

8 Type 97 Chi-Ha 48
8.1 History and development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
8.2 Japanese tank designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
8.3 Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
8.3.1 Development of the improved Shinhoto Chi-Ha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
8.4 Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
8.5 Further development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
8.6 Combat history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
8.6.1 Wars against China and the Soviet Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
8.6.2 World War II and beyond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
8.7 Variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
8.8 Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
8.9 Survivors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
8.10 See also . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
8.11 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
8.12 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
8.13 External links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

9 Type 4 Chi-To 53
9.1 Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
9.2 Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
9.3 Variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
9.4 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
9.5 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
9.6 Further reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
9.7 External links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
9.8 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
9.8.1 Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
9.8.2 Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
9.8.3 Content license . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Chapter 1

Tanks in the Japanese Army

World War I, into the interwar period, during World War

II, the Cold War and modern era.

IJA 4th Armored Division with Type 3 Chi-Nu tanks and Type 3
Ho-Ni III tank destroyers
Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go rst prototype, 1934
This article deals with the history and development of own tank, which resulted in the development of the cur-
tanks of the Japanese Army from their rst use after rent range of modern Japanese tanks built by Mitsubishi
1.1 Overview
The First World War established the validity of the tank
concept. After the war, many nations needed to have
tanks, but only a few had the industrial resources to design
and build them. During and after World War I, Britain
and France were the intellectual leaders in tank design,
with other countries generally following and adopting
their designs. Japan took interest in tanks and procured
some of the foreign designs, and then went to build its
own. The designs built were light tanks which Japan
used in China in the mid-1930s against opposing infantry
in campaigns in Manchuria and elsewhere in China, as
the Chinese National Revolutionary Army had only three
tank battalions consisting of Vickers export tanks, Ger-
man PzKpfw I light tanks, and Italian CV33 tankettes* [1]
to oppose them. Because of the Imperial Japanese Army
emphasis on the infantry at the expense of all other
branches, armored vehicle development and elding suf-
fered as a result; a shift to designs with heavier armor and
larger guns to ght against the larger tanks of the Allies
came too late for the Japanese to eld superior tanks on
the battleeld.
After the Second World War, the Supreme Commander
of the Allied Powers dismantled all military manufactur-
ing and development facilities in Japan, causing Japan to
lose the technology base required to manufacture tanks
and armored vehicles. However, due to the outbreak of
the Korean War, SCAP ordered Japan to re-militarize,
forming the Japanese Ground-Self Defense Force and
providing M4A3E8 Sherman and M24 Chaee tanks (an
initial plan to provide M26 Pershings was abandoned in
the face of State Department opposition). For various
reasons, including obsolescence of the tanks in JGSDF
service at the time, the JGSDF in 1954 was given the
option to either purchase new American built M46 Pat-
tons and later the M47 Patton or develop its own Main
Battle Tank (MBT). The JGSDF decided to develop its

1
2 CHAPTER 1. TANKS IN THE JAPANESE ARMY

Heavy Industries.

1.2 Developments inuencing

Japanese tank design
The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) did not have tanks
of its own in World War I, so initially it started out by
purchasing foreign tanks for evaluation during that war, Japanese Whippets.
and then began developing its own designs. The Japanese
didn't embrace the tank, as it didn't have the cavalry tra-
dition that the other countries that developed the tank road conditions and severe winter climate. Japan's army
more extensively had. In traditional Japan, cavalry was (like the US, French, British and Russian armies) tried
used for reconnaissance in the mountainous countryside, various methods to integrate modern armor into their tra-
so at rst the designs were constrained by the tanks in- ditional horse cavalry formations.* [3]
fantry support role. Inspired by European designs, the
Japanese tank program designs and developed the tanks
which facilitated their campaigns in China prior to the Pa-
cic War. They introduced many innovations as they built
their designs, including bell-crank suspensions, were pio-
neers in amphibious tanks, and the use of diesel engines
as they were less likely to catch on re versus the regular
gas engines that were being used at the time.

1.3 Naming system for tanks Experimental tank No.1 (Type 87 Chi-I), 1927

The Japanese system for naming tanks seems dicult to

a Westerner, although it is logical. Like all weapons,
the year of introduction is the rst criteria. That year
is computed on the historical calendar of Japan, starting
660 years BC. A Type 89 tank was thus introduced in
1929, the year 2589 of the Japanese calendar (only the
two last digits counts).* [2] The problem is that several
weapons or tanks can be introduced the same year. The
Japanese used ideograms to dierentiate further the var-
ious weapons. The ideogram Chimeant a medium
tank,* [2]Tea tankette;Kean assault gun,Hoa
self-propelled gun,Kaan amphibious tank. There was
a second ideogram to distinguish the models. The Type Experimental Type 91 Heavy Tank, 1931
97 Chi-Ha is a medium tank introduced in 1937, the Type
2 Ke-To is a light tank introduced in 1942. There is some- The Imperial Japanese Army obtained a variety of mod-
times a surname to supplement or replace the ideograms. els from foreign sources. At the time, the Japanese did
The Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Hais a variation of the not have any indigenous tank production capability and
medium tank Chi-Ha with a new turret (meaning of the until they could set up the factories and infrastructure
word Shinhoto). The Type 95 had the surnameHa-Go continued buying from foreign sources. These models in-
given by the builder of the tank. cluded one British Heavy Mk IV and six Medium Mark A
Whippets, along with thirteen French Renault FTs (later
designated Ko-Gata Sensha or Type A Tank). The
Mk IV tank was purchased in October 1918 while the
1.4 Post World War I Whippets and Renaults were acquired in 1919.* [4] With
this beginning, the Imperial Japanese Army establish an
After World War I, many European countries attempted armored force in 1925. In 1929, the Imperial Japanese
to mechanize their cavalry. In parallel, Japanese cavalry Army purchased the replacement for the Renault FTs;
also experimented with a variety of armored cars with they acquired from France, 10 of the Renault NC1 (des-
limited success. These wheeled armored cars were not ignated Otsu-Gata Sensha orType B Tank). The Im-
suitable for most operations in Manchuria, due to the poor perial Japanese Army also purchased several Vickers 6-
1.4. POST WORLD WAR I 3

Ton tanks and Carden Loyd tankettes from the British and
used these as a basis for further development.* [5]
Building tanks of their own met several problems, as
Japan's priority tended to be with naval procurements so
production for tank steel would have been on a lower
level. However, they nally began designing tanks by
the mid-1920s. It was decided to build two dierent ex-
perimental tanks for evaluation, which diered from the
conventional practice of giving the same specications to
several competitors and having each make a prototype.
Development of the rst Japanese-designed tank began
in June 1925. A team of engineers in the motorcar group
of the Technical Bureau participated in the development,
Japanese tankettes in China at the attack on Wuhan
including a young army ocer, Major Tomio Hara who
later became the head of the tank development depart-
ment and would rise to the rank of General.* [6] The de-
sign was nished in May 1926 and the prototype was
completed by February 1927.* [7] After trials, the IJA de-
cided that the Type 87 Chi-I was too heavy at 20-ton and
too slow to be used as its main tank.* [8] The design was
rejected. A new requirement was issued for a lighter tank,
with a nominal 10-short-ton (9.1-metric-ton) weight. The
new design was modeled after the Vickers Medium C
which had been bought by the Japanese Army in March
1927. By 1929 the prototype of the Type 89 Chi-Ro (Ex-
perimental Tank Number 2) was completed.* [9]* [10]
Type 97 Te-Ke side view.

known as Hino Motors) in 1933, and an experimental

model was completed in 1934. It was a small light tracked
vehicle with a turret armed with one machine gun.* [12]
The design was standardized as the Type 94 tankette. It
entered service in 1935. The Type 94 was later super-
seded by the Type 97 tankette. They were tailored
vehicles for operating in China.* [13] There the ultra-light
tanks, with a weak armament and armor but highly mo-
bile, were highly successful. No antitank opposition was
to be feared. By the late thirties, it became clear that
that kind of vehicles would not be very useful against a
Type 92 tankette more serious enemy. The development of tankettes was
stopped.
As a result of trials, in 1929 the Japanese decided to pro- By 1932, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was producing an
ceed with the domestic development of a small vehicle for air-cooled diesel engine that was suitable for tanks. One
mobile operations.* [11] The initial attempt resulted in the major reason that the air-cooled diesel engines may have
Type 92 Jyu-Sokosha by Ishikawajima Motorcar Manu- been preferred was that water was scarce in areas that
facturing Company (currently Isuzu Motors). The Type the Imperial Japanese Army was operating in Mongolia,
92 was designed for use by the cavalry for reconnaissance Manchuria, and North China. This was placed experi-
and infantry support. The development of the Type 92 mentally into a Type 89. This later became known as the
began with a hybrid amphibious car; this had both tracks Type 89-B medium tank. In 1933 Major Tomio Hara
and wheels and was able to drive in forward and reverse, designed the basis of many of the suspensions of future
both in the water and on land. The experiment was not Japanese tanks, the bellcrank scissors which had paired
entirely successful, therefore the amphibious car concept bogie wheels connected by a coil spring.
was abandoned, and the design was changed to a tracked Japan also built the Type 95 Heavy Tank in 1934, which
vehicle for land use only. was the nal version of the Japanese multi-turreted de-
The IJA began to focus on tankettes. The develop- signs, that had started back in 1931 with the prototype
ment was given to Tokyo Gas and Electric Industry (later 18-ton Type 91.* [14] Modeled from German and Ital-
4 CHAPTER 1. TANKS IN THE JAPANESE ARMY

ian tank designs, this tank featured 3 turrets; the main

armament being a 70 mm cannon with a 6.5 mm ma-
chine gun also mounted on the main turret. Two addition
turrets gave Type 95 yet more repower: one Type 94
3.7 cm tank cannon was mounted in one auxiliary turret,
and the second auxiliary turret featured a 6.5 mm ma-
chine gun.* [15] Four prototypes were completed before
the project was cancelled.* [15]* [16]
In the meantime, a new light tank appeared. The Type 95
Ha-Go, introduced in 1935, would monopolize the stage
until 1942. It was by no means a bad design, but its pop-
ularity among the crews delayed by a couple of years the
introduction of a follower. It is already outdated in 1940. Type 94 tankette captured at the Battle of Okinawa.
The two models that replaced it after 1942 (the Type 98
Ke-Ni and the Type 2 Ke-To) are only slightly dierent. After the Battle of Khalkhyn Gol in 1939 against the Rus-
A radically new follower, the Type 5 Ke-Ho will not go sians which resulted in total defeat for the Japanese Sixth
further than testing. Army, it prompted the Imperial Japanese Army to re-
In the eld of amphibious tanks, the Japanese proved think tactics and formations of armored units along with
more creative. The army built several prototypes before tank design. Armored production was ramped up from
the war (they are the rst to experiment with jet propul- 500 tanks per year to 1,200 and the Japanese decided they
sion), but none were mass-produced and the whole en- needed a better tank gun and developed the 47 mm in re-
terprise is dropped in 1940. After the war brought in sponse to the Soviet 45 mm guns encountered in combat
the Allies in 1941, then the Navy's began to have interest in 1939. This was placed into the Type 97 and designated
in amphibious tanks. The Ka-Mi and the Ka-Chi were the Type 97-Kai a/k/a Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha.* [17]
adaptations of land tanks on which disposable bows and The Japanese generals had made a mistake in their assess-
sterns are added to ensure otation. They did not play a ment of the tanks used against China, a country whose
signicant role in combat. army had few tanks or antitank weapons. By 1937, Japan
elded 1,060 tanks in 8 regiments, but most were de-
signed for and used in an infantry support role. However,
1.5 World War II tanks built for this role left the IJA without a tank capa-
ble of tank-vs-tank combat, a deciency that was brought
Main article: Japanese tanks of World War II home hard at Khalkin-Gol, a terrible defeat inicted by
*
During the battle of Khalkhin Gol, the Japanese Army's the Russians on the Mongolian border in 1939. [17] This
also proved fatal later when they faced Allied tanks, as
the great majority of the Japanese models were too light,
with not enough armament, and obsolete vehicles went on
being mass-produced.

Japanese tank Type 95 Ha-Go captured by Soviet troops after

battle of Khalkhin Gol

1st Tank Corps consisted of the 3rd Tank Regiment and

4th Tank Regiment; the 3rd Tank Regiment consisted of
26 Type 89s, four Type 97 medium tanks, seven Type 94
tankettes, and four Type 97 Te-Ke tankettes, and the 4th
Tank Regiment contained 35 Type 95s, eight Type 89s,
and three Type 94 tankettes. In this battle, the Japanese
Army's 1st Tank Corps launched an oensive against the
Soviet Union's 11th Tank and 7th Armored brigades and
suered heavy losses.
Type 89 Chi-Ro advancing towards Manila, Philippines, January
1942
From 1932 onwards, the Type 89 Chi-Ro had been the
rst Japanese tank to be mass-produced. It remained the
standard medium tank until the late thirties. It was out-
dated before that time. Its follower, the Type 97 Chi-Ha
1.6. POST WORLD WAR II
took over and remained the standard type until the end
of the war in 1945. Its shortcomings were clear since the
Battle of Kalkin Go in 1939 though. The Shinhoto Chi-
Ha, the same hull with a new turret to install a better gun
appeared only in 1942. While vulnerable to opposing Al-
lied tanks (US M3 Lee/British M3 Grant, M4 Sherman
and Soviet T-34), the 47 mm high-velocity gun did give
the Shinhoto some ghting chance against them. The 47
mm gun was eective against light tanks and against the
sides and rear of the Sherman tank.* [18] The Japanese
designed some additional models, some were produced
in limited numbers (such as the Chi-He or the Chi-Nu)
but none were mass-produced.
With the German armor led victories in Europe in 1940,
the Japanese changed their deployment and doctrine and
organized tank divisions.* [17] By 1940 they were the fth
largest tank force in the world behind the Soviet, France,
Britain and Germany, but were behind in medium and
heavy tanks. However, after 1941 the Japanese focused
their industry on building warships and aircraft after the
attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into the
conict, as priorities shifted to weapons they felt were
more important to attack across the Pacic and defend
the Empire against the American naval eet.* [19]
Type 3 Chi-Nu
So although the Japanese Army widely employed tanks
within the Pacic theater of war, the tanks that Allied
forces in the Pacic faced were mostly older designs or
even obsolete as the most modern Japanese tanks, such
as the Type 3 Chi-Nu were delayed by material and pro-
duction shortages. Even after they started to come out of
the factories the idea was to hold them for the defense of
the mainland, and not dispersed to the far ung Imperial
Japanese Army or Navy forces. Between 1931 and 1945,
Japan produced 6450 tanks. Half of them (3300) were
made by the Mitsubishi Company. The sub-total of tanks
produced between 1940 and 1945 is 4424, i.e. a yearly
average comparable to Italy. For a country as large and as
industrialized as Japan, that is modest. This being due to
the higher priority of steel allocated to the Imperial Navy
for warship construction.* [20] It changed to a degree in
1944/45, when the homeland became increasingly under
5
direct threat but it was too late. As with many innovative
weapons projects launched by Japan in the nal years of
World War II, production could not advance beyond ei-
ther small numbers or the prototype stage due to material
shortages, and the loss of Japan's industrial infrastructure
to the Allied bombing of Japan.* [21]* [22]
1.6 Post World War II
A M4A3E8 model of Sherman tank such as was provided to
JGSDF.
After World War II, Supreme Commander of the Al-
lied Powers (A.K.A. GHQ in Japan) seized all military
manufacturing and development plants in Japan, making
Japan lose the technology to build and manufacture tanks
and armoured vehicles (even though the technology was
not well developed.) However, due to the Korean War,
the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers ordered
Japan to re-militarize, forming armed police forces (Na-
tional police reserve, later called National security force,
then nally Japan ground self-defence force) and pro-
vided M4A3E8 Sherman and M24 Chaee tanks.
The M24, though it was popular amongst the Japanese
crews, was inadequate when facing Soviet T-34/85s, as
seen in Korea. Thus, as the tanks in the Japan ground self-
defence force (JGSDF) service at the time were obso-
lete/inadequate, the JGSDF was provided with the option
of either purchasing the new American built M46 Patton
and, later, the M47 Patton or develop their own MBT in
1954. Due to the high cost of purchasing American made
tanks, and because the M47 did not meet their require-
ments, the JGSDF decided on developing their own main
battle tank, resulting in the development of the Type 61
tank.
The rst test vehicles, STA-1 (completed in December
1956) and STA-2 (completed in February 1957) were
built and tested. The results were used to develop the
STA-3 (completed in January 1960) and STA-4 (com-
pleted in November 1959) in 1960. More improvements
6 CHAPTER 1. TANKS IN THE JAPANESE ARMY
Type 61 tanks on the move at Camp Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture as
part of a joint US/Japanese exercise.
were made in 1961 and the deployment of the Type 61
started in the same year.
The initial production rate was low, with only ten tanks
produced in 1961 and 1962, increasing to twenty in 1964
and thirty in 1965 and 1966. A total of 250 had been
produced by 1970, with production continuing at an in-
creased pace until 1975 when it was terminated. A total
of 560 were produced.* [23] The main gun of the Type 61
was unstabilized, so ring on the move was impractical,
and the vehicle is not tted with an NBC protection sys-
tem or deep wading equipment. The JGSDF started stud-
ies on a new tank design with Mitsubishi in 1962, as it was
realized that the Type 61 would not be able to defeat the
latest Soviet designs like the T-62. The tanks were phased
out of service in the 1990s with 400 in service in 1990,
and 190 in service in 1995. All were decommissioned
by 2000, 39 years after their original deployment.* [24]
From 1980, Type 61's began to be supplemented by the
more modern Type 74 MBT.
JapaneseType 74 tank.
The rst prototype of the Type 74 MBT, designated STB-
1, was delivered in late 1968 and underwent a number of
modications until the nal prototype designated STB-6
was delivered in 1973. Production nally started as the
Type 74 in September 1975, with 225 being delivered by
January 1980. Production ended in 1989, with total pro-
duction running to 893 examples. The gunner's position
included a digital re control computer, fed range data
from the commander's range nder. Rounds for the main
gun were upgraded from HEP to APFSDS and HEAT-
MP.
After the adoption of the Type 74, the Japanese High
Command was already looking for a superior, completely
indigenous tank design to defeat the Soviet T-72. As a
result, development of a prototype as a replacement for
the Type 74, the TK-X MBT began between 1976 and
1977 which became the Type 90 tank. The Type 90 was
to have replaced the Type 74 outright as the Type 74 was
generally outdated even before it entered service, but with
the ending of the Cold War these plans were scaled back.
A Type 90 during a public demonstration at the JGSDF Ordnance
School, Japan.
Requirements of the Type 90 were completed in 1980
with two prototypes and a second series of four proto-
types was built between 1986 and 1988 which incorpo-
rated changes as a result of trials with the rst two proto-
types. These were armed with the Rheinmetall 120 mm
smoothbore gun also tted to the German Leopard 2 and,
in a modied version, in the US M1A1/M1A2 Abrams
MBT.
Japanese Type 10 tank.
These second prototypes were used for development and
then user trials, all of which were completed by 1989,
before Japan formally acknowledged the Type 90 in
1990. With the exception of the 120 mm smooth-bore
gun, which is made under license from Rheinmetall of
Germany, the Type 90 and its subsystems were all de-
signed and built in Japan. It has been complemented
by the Type 10, which rst entered service in January
2012.* [25] The Type 10 has armor that consists of modu-
lar components which signicantly improves the side ar-
1.7. OVERVIEW PER TANK 7

mor compared to the Type 90. The Type 10 uses the

same 120 mm smoothbore gun as the Type 90.* [25]

1.7 Overview per tank

1.7.1 Type 87 Chi-I medium tank (experi-

mental 1st tank)

Main article: ja: 1

Development of the rst Japanese-designed tank began

in June 1925. A team of four engineers in the motorcar
group of the Technical Bureau participated in the devel-
opment, including a young army ocer, Major Tomio
Hara. Major Hara later became the head of the tank
development department and would rise to the rank of
General. According to Hara, the rst tank on the agenda
A captured Type 94 Tankette on the engine deck of a USMC M4
was to develop a medium main battle tank.* [26] The
Sherman tank at Kwajalein
team started their design and worked hard to complete
the project within the two years allocated.* [27] As this
was the rst tank designed in Japan, they had to begin started planning for a larger version, the TK model,
with almost every component built from scratch. or Special Tractor. It was reclassied as the Type 94
The design was completed in May 1926 and production (Type 2594; tankette) and was designed for reconnais-
*
was ordered to begin at the Osaka Army Arsenal. At the sance, [31] but could also be utilized for supporting in-
* *
time, there was little heavy industry allocated to the pro- fantry attacks and transporting supplies. [13] [12]
duction of motor vehicles in Japan, so there were signif- The initial attempt resulted in the Type 92 Jyu-Sokosha
icant diculties creating the prototype. The prototype for use by the cavalry. However, Japanese infantry com-
was completed by February 1927, within the required pe- manders felt that a similar vehicle would be useful as the
riod and ready for trials.* [7] Many IJA generals attended support vehicle for transport, scout and communications
the trials of the Type 87 Chi-I, however, it was 20-ton within the infantry divisions,* [32] and close support in
and under-powered by a 140 hp engine.* [8] The weight of infantry operations.
the initial prototype and its low speed did not impress the
Imperial Japanese Army General Sta Oce, and a new It was a small light tracked vehicle with a turret armed
requirement was issued for a lighter tank, with a nomi- with one machine gun. For *
cargo transportation it
nal 10-short-ton (9.1-metric-ton) weight. The new design pulled an ammunition trailer. [33] It was given the name
was modeled after the Vickers Medium C which had been Tokushu Keninsha Special
( Tractor ), abridged toTK
bought by the Japanese Army in March 1927. [28] * . After trials in both Manchukuo and Japan, the de-
sign was standardized as the Type 94 tankette. It en-
The Type 87 Chi-I had a complex parallelogram suspen- tered service in 1935. The lightweight Type 94 wastai-
sion system with two pairs of road bogie wheels per leaf loredfor operating in China* [13] and proved eective in
spring arrangement. Hara designed a bell crank scissors Manchuria and elsewhere as the Chinese National Revo-
suspension which paired the bogie wheels and connected lutionary Army consisted of only three tank battalions to
them to a coil spring mounted horizontally outside the oppose them. As with nearly all nation's tankettes built
hull. This suspension became standard on the majority in the 1920s and 1930s, they had thin armor and could
of the subsequently designed Japanese tanks and can be often be penetrated by standard small arms re.* [34]
seen on the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank and Type 97 Chi-
Ha, as examples.* [29] One interesting variant for the Type 94 tankette was as ei-
ther a gas scattering vehicle or disinfecting vehicle. The
Type 94 Disinfecting Vehicle and Type 94 Gas Scatter-
1.7.2 Type 94 tankette ing Vehicle was a Type 94 tankette adapted to chemical
warfare. The tankette was used as a tractor, where it
Main article: Type 94 tankette would pull either a congured independent tracked mo-
The IJA ordered some tankettes from Great Britain, bile liquid dissemination chemical vehicle or a respec-
along with some French vehicles and eld tested tive tracked mobile disinfecting anti-chemical agents ve-
*
*
them. [30] The IJA determined that the British and hicle. [35]
French machines were too small to be practical, and The Gas Scattering Vehicle version could scatter mustard
8 CHAPTER 1. TANKS IN THE JAPANESE ARMY

gas chemical agent with an 8m width and the Disinfecting 1.7.4 Type 89 Chi-Ro medium tank
Vehicle version scattered "bleaching powder to counter-
act the poison gasor pathogenic agents.* [35] Main article: Type 89 Chi-Ro
The IJA decided that the Type 87 Chi-I was too heavy

1.7.3 Type 97 Te-Ke light tank

Main article: Type 97 Te-Ke

The 'Type 97 Light armored car Te-Ke (

Type 89I-Goon display at the United States Army Ordnance

Museum.

at 20 tons and too slow to be used as its main tank. The

A Type 97 Te-Ke in New Britain
Ky-nana-shiki kei sksha Kete) was a tankette a water-cooled gasoline engine, and the Otsu (B),
designed as a fast reconnaissance vehicle,* [36] and was a
replacement for the earlier Type 94 TK.* [37]
Although the chassis was similar in appearance, the de-
sign of the Type 97 was dierent than the Type 94 in
several signicant areas. The engine was moved the rear
and the gun turret (and commander) moved to the middle
of the tankette, with the driver located to the left side of
the hull. This gave the two men a better position to com-
municate with each other.* [37] As with the Type 94, the
interior was lined with heat insulating asbestos sheets.
The main armament was the Type 94 37 mm tank gun,
with 96 rounds, barrel length of 136 cm (L36.7), EL
angle of re of 15 to +20 degrees, AZ angle of re
of 20 degrees, muzzle velocity of 600 m/s, penetration
of 45 mm/300 m, which was also used by Type 95 Ha-
Go. However, due to shortages in the production of this
weapon, most vehicles were tted with a 7.7 mm Type 97
machine gun instead.* [38]
The Type 97 replaced the Type 94 on the assembly
line in 1939, it was primarily assigned to reconnaissance
regiments, and, as with US Army tanks prior to 1941,
was not designed to engage enemy tanks.* [39]* [40] Be-
cause it was a reconnaissance vehicle, built for speed, and
not direct combat,* [36] its hull and turret were designed
for only two crewmen; leaving the tankette commander
to load and re the main gun. As with most tankettes it
was severely decient in armor protection, and was prey
for any anti-tank weapon.* [41]
Type 89 Chi-Ro (also known as the Type 89 I-Go) was
developed to overcome these shortcomings.* [9] The new
design weighed 12.8 tons and used stronger and lighter
steel plate instead of the Type 87's iron armor. Arma-
ment was a Type 90 57 mm gun, along with two Type 91
6.5mm machine guns.* [42] The Type 89 design was com-
pleted in 1929, with production starting in 1931, making
this the rst tank to be mass-produced in Japan.* [43] The
Type 89 had two variants - the K (A), which used
with an air-cooled diesel engine and improved frontal ar-
mor.* [43] Of the two versions, a total of 113 K tanks and
291 Otsu tanks were produced.* [40] The Type 89 was de-
ployed for operations in the Second Sino-Japanese War.
It served with Japanese infantry divisions before that, and
rst saw combat use in China during the First Battle of
Shanghai in 1932.* [44] It was in the process of being re-
placed by the Type 97 Chi-Ha by the start of World War
II.
1.7.5 Type 95 Ha-Go light tank
Main article: Type 95 Ha-Go
The Type 95 Ha-Go (also known as the Type 97 Ke-
Go)* [45] was a replacement for the Type 89 medium
tank which was considered too slow for mechanized war-
fare. The prototypes were built by Mitsubishi and pro-
duction was started in 1936, with 2,300 completed by
the end of the war.* [46] It was armed with a 37 mm
main gun and two 7.7 mm (0.303 inch) machine guns,
one in the rear section of the turret and the other hull-
mounted. The Type 95 weighed 7.4 tons and had three
crewmen.* [47]* [48]
It served throughout the Pacic Theater, including China
and on many Pacic islands, such as Guadalcanal, the
Marianas, and Iwo Jima. Several variants were built,
among them the prototype Type 3 Ke-Ri, which mounted
a 57 mm Model 97 gun, the Type 4 Ke-Nu light tank and
1.7. OVERVIEW PER TANK 9

known to have been built: 1 in 1941, 24 in 1942 and 79 in

1943.* [19] One prototype variant built was the Type 98
Ta-Se, an anti-aircraft tank which mounted a converted
Type 98 20 mm AA machine cannon.* [52]

1.7.7 Type 2 Ke-To light tank

Main article: Type 2 Ke-To
The Type 2 Ke-To Light Tank (

Type 95 Ha-Go tank in New Britain following the Japanese sur-

render in 1945

the Type 5 Ho-Ru, a prototype self-propelled gun simi-

lar to the German Hetzer, but with a Type 1 47 mm tank
gun.* [49]

Type 2 Ke-To light tank

1.7.6 Type 98 light tank
Main article: Type 98 Ke-Ni
The Type 98 light tank Ke-Ni ( on the existing Type 98 Ke-Ni. Development work on the
Type 98A Ke-Ni light tank
Nishiki keisensha Ke-To) was developed by the Imperial
Japanese Army during World War II as an improvement
Type 2 proceeded with an improved Type 1 37mm gun
in an enlarged turret.* [51] However, production did not
commence until 1944, and by that date Japan was des-
perate for steel (largely due to US submarine warfare).
This, combined with the American strategic bombing
campaign, which laid waste to the industrial infrastruc-
ture, which, when added to the IJN's priority for warship
construction, made it clear to the military that the highly
successful Type 95 light tank would maintain its prece-
dence on the assembly lines. The Type 2 tank production
was placed on hold, and only 34 units were completed by
the end of the war.* [53] The war ended before any Type
2s were used in combat.

Kyuhachi-shiki keisensha Ke-Ni) was designed to replace

the Imperial Japanese Army's Type 95 Ha-Go light tank.
It is also referred to as the Type 98 Chi-Ni light tank by
some sources.* [50] Although developed in 1938 to ad-
dress deciencies in the Type 95 design already apparent
from combat experience in Manchukuo and China in the
Second Sino-Japanese War. The prototype of the new
Type 98 tank was completed in 1939. However, produc-
tion did not begin until 1942. With the start of World War
II, the Imperial Japanese Army General Sta quickly re-
alized that the Type 95 design was vulnerable to heavy
machinegun re (.50 caliber), and as such attempted to
develop a light tank with the same weight as the Type 95,
but with thicker armor.* [51] The Type 98 had a two-man
turret, an improvement on the asymmetrical turret used
on the Type 95, carrying a Type 100 37mm tank gun,
with a muzzle velocity of 760 m/s, and with a coaxial 7.7
mm machine-gun to the side. A total of 104 Type 98s are
1.7.8 Type 4 Ke-Nu light tank
Main article: Type 4 Ke-Nu
The Type 4 light tank Ke-Nu (
Yon-shiki keisensha Kenu) was an innovation created to
increase the number of light tanks available to front-
line infantry divisions of the Imperial Japanese Army
in World War II. Through the modernization of Type
97 Chi-Ha medium tanks, in which its 57 mm gun tur-
rets were replaced with 47 mm high velocity gun tur-
rets, the 57 mm turrets were then available to install on
Type 95 Ha-Go light tank hulls; thus creating a new light
tank.* [51]
The original version of the Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank
had been armed with a low muzzle velocity 57 mm tank
gun. Operational experience in 1939 revealed that this
gun was inadequate against opposing armor, and a new
10 CHAPTER 1. TANKS IN THE JAPANESE ARMY

than the output of Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks, but larger

than any other medium tank elded by Japan.
Type 4 Ke-Nu light tank
higher velocity 47 mm tank gun was developed. This gun
was then installed in the Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank to
produce the Type 97-Kai Shinhoto version,* [54] which
became the standard main battle tank of the Japanese
Army. This left a large number of surplus Type 97 Chi-
Ha turrets, which were later retrotted onto the chassis of
the obsolete Type 95 Ha-Go tank, which had been armed
with a 37 mm tank gun. The result was designated the
Type 4 Ke-Nu. In total, approximately 100 units were
converted in 1944.* [55]
Some 3,000 examples of the Type 97 Chi-Ha were
produced by Mitsubishi, including several types of
specialized tanks. Initially armed with a low-velocity
Type 97 57 mm tank gun, but from 1942 on-wards, the
Model 97 was equipped with a high-velocity Type 1 47
mm tank gun, mounted in a larger turret.* [59] This ver-
sion was designated Shinhoto Chi-Ha (new turret
)* [60] and is considered by many to be one of the best
Japanese tank designs of the war. The Type 97 Shin-
HoTo Chi-Ha rst saw action at Corregidor Island of
the Philippines in 1942.* [61] It went on to serve against
allied forces throughout the Pacic and East Asia as well
as the Soviets during the JulyAugust 1945 conict in
Manchuria.* [56] While vulnerable to opposing Allied
tanks (US M3 Lee/British M3 Grant, M4 Medium and
T-34), the 47 mm high-velocity gun did give the Type 97
Shinhoto Chi-Ha a ghting chance against them.* [18]
1.7.10 Type 1 Chi-He medium tank
Main article: Type 1 Chi-He
The Type 1 Chi-He was developed in 1942 to replace

1.7.9 Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank

Main article: Type 97 Chi-Ha
The Type 97 medium tank Chi-Ha (

Type 1 Chi-He

the Type 97. The newer tank proved to be superior to the

Type 97 in both speed and armor protection, but produc-
tion did not begin until 1943, due to the higher priority
of steel allocated to the Imperial Navy for warship con-
struction. A total of 170 units were built from 194344,
but they did not see any combat as they were allocated to
*
Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha at the United States Army Ordnance the defense of the Japanese home islands. [62] The three-
Museum, Aberdeen, Maryland, USA. man turret and 47 mm gun of the Type 1 were retrotted
on the hull of the Type 97 which the factories were al-
Kyunana-shiki chu-sensha chiha) was the most widely ready producing. Even so, production of the tank was
produced Japanese medium tank of World War II, with discontinued after less than one year in favor of the Type
about 25 mm thick armor on its turret sides, and 30 mm 3 Chi-Nu medium tank.* [63]
on its gun shield, considered average protection in the
1930s.* [56]* [57] The 57 mm main gun was a carry over
from the 1933 Type 89 medium tank, and was designed 1.7.11 Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tank
to support the infantry, while the 170 hp diesel Mitsubishi
was a capable engine for the tank in 1938.* [58] The num- Main article: Type 3 Chi-Nu
ber of Type 97 medium tanks produced was slightly lower
1.7. OVERVIEW PER TANK 11

new medium and heavy tanks developed by the Imperial

Japanese Army towards the end of World War II. It was
the most advanced Japanese wartime tank to reach the
production phase.* [68]
The Type 4 Chi-To was a thirty-ton, all-welded tank
with a maximum armor thickness of about 75 mm.
It was much larger than the Type 97 Chi-Ha, with
a longer, wider, tall chassis, supported by seven road
wheels.* [22]* [69] The main armament, a Type 5 75
mm tank gun, was based on the Type 4 75 mm AA
Gun, which was in turn essentially a copy of a Bofors
Model 1929 75 mm AA Gun, housed in a large powered,
well-armoured hexagonal gun turret along with a coaxial
machine gun. A single Type 97 heavy tank machine gun
was mounted in the front hull, but there was no machine
Type 3 Chi-Nu at the JGSDF Ordnance School, Tsuchiura, gun mounted to the rear of the turret. Only two Type
Kanto, Japan. 4 Chi-To tanks were completed prior to the end of the
war, with an additional four chassis being manufactured.
Neither of the completed units saw combat use.* [70]
The Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tank was urgently devel-
oped to counter the American M4 Sherman medium
tank. Originally, the next tank in development to re- 1.7.13 Type 5 Chi-Ri medium tank
place the Chi-He was the Type 4 Chi-To medium tank.
However, the development of the Chi-To and the Type Main article: Type 5 Chi-Ri
5 Chi-Ri heavy tank were delayed, and a stopgap tank The Type 5 medium tank Chi-Ri ( Go-
was required.* [64] The development of Chi-Nu started in
May 1943 and was nished by October. The low priority
given tanks, along with the raw material shortages meant
that the Type 3 did not enter production until 1944.* [65]
The Chi-Nu retained the same chassis and suspension of
the Type 97 but with a large new hexagonal gun turret
and a commander's cupola.* [66] The main armament, a
Type 3 75 mm tank gun, was based on the Japanese Type
90 eld gun.* [67] The Chi-Nu was the last IJA tank de-
ployed and production continued until the end of the war.
The tank was allocated to the Japanese home islands to
defend against the projected Allied Invasion.* [63]

Incomplete prototype of the Type 5 Chi-Ri after capture by Amer-

1.7.12 Type 4 Chi-To medium tank ican forces.

Main article: Type 4 Chi-To
The Type 4 medium tank Chi-To (
Type 4 Chi-To medium tank.
Yonshiki chsensha Chi-To) was one of several Japan in the nal days of World War II, production could
shiki chusensha Chi-ri) was the ultimate medium tank de-
veloped by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War
II. Intended to be a heavier, lengthened, more powerful
version of Japan's sophisticated Type 4 Chi-To medium
tank, in performance it was designed to surpass the US
M4 Sherman medium tanks being elded by the Allied
forces. It was to be powered by a Kawasaki Type 98
800 HP engine Ha-9-IIbdetuned for the tank to 550 hp.
Originally, the tank was to be tted with the same Type
5 75 mm tank gun used on the Type 4 Chi-To.* [71]* [72]
Eventually, an 88 mm gun (based on the Type 99 88
mm AA Gun) was planned for the turret; a secondary
weapon of a front hull-mounted Type 1 37 mm tank gun
was tted in the position normally taken by a machine
gun.* [22]* [71]
As with many innovative weapons projects launched by
12 CHAPTER 1. TANKS IN THE JAPANESE ARMY

not advance due to material shortages, and the loss of

Japan's industrial infrastructure to the allied bombing
of Japan. The single prototype Type 5 was seized by
American forces during the occupation of Japan.* [73]

1.7.14 Experimental Type 5 Ho-Ri tank

destroyer

Type 2 Ka-Mi amphibious tank

with amphibious operations and thereby needed vehicles

which could support the landings.* [79] The tanks pro-
duced, included the Type 1 Mi-Sha, Type 2 Ka-Mi, Type
Experimental Type 5 gun tank Ho-Ri I mock-up scale model 3 Ka-Chi, and Type 5 To-Ku; while other amphibious
transports included the F B Swamp Vehicle, Type 4 Ka-
See also: Type 5 Chi-Ri Tsu APC, Toku 4 Shiki Naikatei APC, and the SRII Ro-
Go. All of these for use by the Japanese Special Naval
Landing Forces. The Type 1 was an early experimental
The Ho-Ri was a more powerful tank destroyer (gun
design, that led to the Type 2 Ka-Mi, which was based
tank) using a 105 mm cannon in place of the 75 mm
on the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank. The Type 2 Ka-Mi
design and an additional 37 mm gun. It was to use the
was the rst production Japanese amphibious tank, al-
Type 5 Chi-Ri tank chassis. The superstructure for the
though beginning in 1942 only 182 to 184 units were
main gun was placed at the rear and the engine was to
built.* [19]* [80]
be placed in the center area of the chassis.* [74] Another
version was to have a twin 25 mm anti-aircraft gun on
top of the rear superstructure.* [75] No prototypes were
built.* [76]

1.7.15 O-I superheavy tank

Main article: O-I

The O-I experimental superheavy tank had three turrets

and weighed 120 tons, and required a crew of 11 men.
It was 10 meters long by 4.2 meters wide with an overall
height of 4 meters. The armor was 200 mm at its max-
imum, and the tank had a top speed of 25 km/h. It had Type 3 Ka-Chi amphibious tank
two gasoline engines, and was armed with 1 x 105 mm
cannon, 1 x Type 1 47 mm gun (in a forward-mounted The Type 3 Ka-Chi amphibious tank was based on an
sub-turret), and 3 x Type 97 7.7 mm machine guns (one extensively modied Type 1 Chi-He tank and was a
mounted in a forward sub-turret).* [77] It has been re- larger and more capable version of the earlier Type 2
ported the one prototype of the O-I was manufactured Ka-Mi amphibious tank.* [81] Only 19 Type 3 Ka-Chi
in 1943. However, the tank was unpracticaland the tanks were built during the war.* [82] The Type 3 Ka-
project ended. No images of the O-I are known to ex- Chi proved useful due to its capacity to be submarine
ist.* [77] launched, which enabled it to accommodate the increas-
ingly dicult task of daytime reinforcement isolated for
island garrisons in the South Pacic and in Southeast
1.7.16 Amphibious tanks Asia. The tanks were used later in the war as dug-in
pillboxes on Pacic islands. The Type 5 To-Ku was a
During the 1930s and 1940s, the Japanese designed and large and heavy prototype based on the Type 5 Chi-Ri
produced several amphibious tank designs.* [78] The Im- and Type 3 Ka-Chi; it boasted extensive armor protec-
perial Navy planned a major campaign in the Pacic tion and was tted with a Type 1 25 mm gun and front
1.7. OVERVIEW PER TANK 13

hull mounted a Type 1 47 mm tank gun.* [83] Type 2 Ho-I Gun tank

Main article: Type 2 Ho-I

1.7.17 Tank destroyers and assault guns The Type 2 Gun tank Ho-I ( Ni-

Type 1 Ho-Ni I Gun tank

Main article: Type 1 Ho-Ni I

The Type 1 Gun tank Ho-Ni I ( I, Is-

Type 2 Ho-I gun tank

shiki hsensha Ho-I) Support Tank was a derivative of the

Type 1 Ho-Ni I tank destroyer Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tanks of the Imperial Japanese
Army in World War II. Similar in concept to early vari-
shiki ho-sensha Ho-NiI?) was a tank destroyer developed ant of the German Panzer IV, it was designed as a self-
by the Imperial Japanese Army for use during World War propelled howitzer to provide the close-in re support
II in the Pacic theater. As units of the Imperial Japanese for standard Japanese medium tanks with additional re-
Army began to encounter advanced Allied medium tanks, power against enemy anti-tank fortications.* [87]
such as the M4 Sherman, it was seen that the Japanese
Type 97 Chi-Ha main battle tank lacked sucient armor After experience in the war in China, Japanese planners
or armament to deal with this threat, and work was begun wanted an armored vehicle with a larger weapon would
on a tank destroyer version.* [84] be useful against fortied enemy positions such as pill-
boxes. They began work on mounting a Type 41 75 mm
Mountain Gun onto the chassis of the Chi-Ha medium
tank. The adapted mountain gun, known as the Type 99
75 mm tank gun, was completed in 1940. In 1942, the
short barreled Type 99 75 mm gun was tted into a Type
97-Kai gun turret which led to the Type 2 Ho-I.* [88] As
secondary armament there was a single 7.7 mm Type 97
heavy tank machine gun in the hull.* [89] The tank uti-
lized the chassis of the Type 1 Chi-He.* [88] By 1942, the
Japanese Army began to encounter the Allied M4 Sher-
man and M3 Stuart tanks, with which they could barely
cope. The design parameters on the Type 2 were then
changed to include a tank destroyer role, with its 75 mm
gun equipped with armor-piercing shells.* [88]
Type 1 Ho-Ni II

The Type 1 Ho-Ni I was developed by utilizing the ex- Type 3 Ho-Ni III tank destroyer
isting Type 97 chassis and engine, and replacing the gun
turret with a 75 mm Type 90 Field Gun mounted in an Main article: Type 3 Ho-Ni III
open casemate with frontal and side armour only, which The Type 3 Ho-Ni III ( III San-
made it very vulnerable in close combat.* [84] The Type shiki hsensha) gun tank was a tank destroyer and self-
1 Ho-Ni I was designed to operate as self-propelled ar- propelled artillery of Imperial Japanese Army in World
tillery in the armored divisions.* [85]* [84] The mounting War II. The Type 3 No-Ni II superseded the Type 1 Ho-
for the 75 mm Type 90 eld gun allowed for ten degrees Ni I in production, and was much safer for the crew due
of traverse and elevation from 5 to +25 degrees.* [85] to its having a completely enclosed superstructure.* [84]
One variant produced was known as the Type 1 Ho-Ni The Type 3 Ho-Ni III utilized the chassis of the earlier
II which mounted a Type 91 105 mm howitzer. It had Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank.
a slightly changed superstructure as far as the side armor The main armament of the Type 3 Ho-Ni III was a
with re-positioned observation visors.* [86] Type 3 75 mm tank gun, based on the 75 mm Type
14
Type III Ho-Ni III tank destroyer
90 Field Gun, which was also used in the Type 3 Chi-
Nu tank.* [22]* [65] Previous gun tanks, Type 1 Ho-Ni I
and Type 2 Ho-I, were not really optimized designs. The
fully enclosed and armored casemate of the Type 3 Ho-Ni
III was intended to address these issues, and an order of
57 was placed with Hitachi Ltd in early 1944.* [84] Pro-
duction was hampered by material shortages, and by the
bombing of Japan in World War II, and only 31 to 41 were
completed.* [90]* [91] The Type 3 Ho-Ni III tank destroy-
ers were assigned to various combat units, most stationed
within the Japanese home islands to defend against the
projected Allied Invasion. As the surrender of Japan oc-
curred before that invasion, there is no record of the Type
3 Ho-Ni III ever being used in actual combat.* [90]
Type 5 Na-To tank destroyer
Main article: Type 5 Na-To
The Type 5 Na-To ( Go-shiki hsensha) was
Type 5 Na-To tank destroyer
the penultimate tank destroyer developed by the Imperial
Japanese Army in the closing stages of World War II. The
Type 5 Na-To made use of the chassis of the Type 4 Chi-
So medium tracked carrier. The superstructure had an
open top and rear, with an enclosed armored drivers cab.
There was a shielded platformfor its main gun.* [92]
CHAPTER 1. TANKS IN THE JAPANESE ARMY
Its main anti-tank armament consisted of a Type 5 75
mm tank gun which was the same gun that was used on
the Type 4 Chi-To tank; a variant of the Japanese Type
4 75mm AA Gun.* [93]* [94]* [95]
Towards the end of the Pacic War, Japanese eld com-
manders realized that nothing in the inventory of the
Japanese Army would be able to withstand the increas-
ingly advanced tanks and armored vehicles elded by
the Allies, and that a more powerful version of the
Type 3 Ho-Ni III was necessary. Development was
rushed through on a new design, which was completed
in 1945.* [93] The Japanese Army immediately issued an
order for 200 units to be completed in 1945.* [95] How-
ever, by that time production was impossible due to ma-
terial shortages, and the bombing of Japan in World War
II, and only two units were completed by the surrender of
Japan. Neither was used in combat.* [96]* [95]
1.7.18 German-inuenced variants
Throughout the war Germany supplied blueprints, tech-
nological support, and some examples of their tanks to
Japan in accordance with the Tripartite Pact signed by the
Axis powers. Some of knowledge shared with Japan in-
spired or inuenced later Japanese armored vehicles, for
example:
Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tank, roughly equivalent to
Panzer IV tanks.
Type 4 Chi-To medium tank with Type 5 75 mm
tank gun; a variant of the Type 4 75 mm AA Gun,
inspired by the Panther tank.
Type 5 Chi-Ri heavy tank with Type 99 88 mm AA
Gun, inspired by the Tiger I.
Type 1 Ho-Ha halftrack, inspired by the SdKfz 251
O-I superheavy tank and experimental ultraheavy
tank, equivalent to the Panzer VIII Maus
1.8 Post World War II tanks
1.8.1 Japanese Type 61 tank
Main article: Type 61 (tank)
The Type 61 (Japanese: Kanji:
61 ) was a main battle tank (MBT) developed and
used by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF),
built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.Development started
in 1955 and the vehicle was rst deployed in April 1961.
The type number follows the year of deployment. A to-
tal of 560 Type 61's were manufactured between 1961
and 1975, when production ceased. The Type 61 is con-
ventionally laid out, with a central turret and the engine
located at the rear of the hull. The tank has a crew of
1.8. POST WORLD WAR II TANKS 15

1.8.3 Japanese Type 90 tank

Main article: Type 90 Ky-maru
The Type 90 tank (90 Kymarushikisensha) is

Type 61 tank on display at the JGSDF Ordnance School in

Tsuchiura, Ibaraki prefecture, Japan.

four, a commander, driver, gunner and loader. The hull

is welded steel, with a cast steel turret. The maximum
armour thickness is quoted as 64 millimeters. A 12.7
mm machine gun was normally mounted on the cuppola JGSDF Type 90 on display at the JGSDF Ordnance School in
for anti-aircraft use. The main gun was the Type 61 Tsuchiura, Kanto, Japan.
90 millimeter caliber ried gun with a horizontal sliding
the current main battle tank (MBT) of the Japan Ground
breach block. The gun is tted with a t-shaped muzzle
Self-Defense Force (JGSDF). It is built by Mitsubishi
brake, which diverts ring gasses sideways, and reduces
Heavy Industries and was designed as a replacement for
the amount of dust kicked up by ring. A coaxial 7.62
millimeter machine gun is mounted next to the gun.all deployed Type 61s and a portion of their Type 74
tanks, and entered service in 1990. It is slated to be com-
plemented by the Type 10. The Type 90 mounts a li-
censed copy of the German Rheinmetall L44 120 mm
smoothbore cannon product by Japan Steel Works Lim-
1.8.2 Japanese Type 74 tank ited. This is the same gun that is mounted on the Ger-
man Leopard 2, American Abrams, and the South Ko-
Main article: Type 74 rean K1A1 tanks. The gun is armed and loaded through
The Type 74 (74 nanayonshikisensha) is a main a mechanical bustle autoloader (conveyor-belt type), de-
veloped by Mitsubishi of Japan. The Type 90 tank is the
rst western tank to achieve manpower savings by reduc-
ing the crew to three through the development of the tur-
ret bustle autoloader (With the exception of the turretless
Strv 103).* [97] This design allows the tank crew to op-
erate without a loader, which allows the use of a smaller
turret.

1.8.4 Japanese Type 10 tank

A JGSDF Type 74 tank.
battle tank (MBT) of the Japan Ground Self-Defense
Force (JGSDF). It was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Indus-
tries as a replacement for the earlier Type 61. It was
based on the best features of a number of contemporary
designs, placing it in the same class as the US M60 Patton
or German Leopard 1. Like these designs, it mounts the
M68 105 mm gun. The design did not enter widespread
use until 1980, by which point other western forces were
starting the introduction of much more capable designs.
Main article: Type 10
The Type 10 (10 Hitomarushikisensha) is a
4th generation main battle tank produced by Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries for the Japanese Ground Self Defense
Force (JGSDF). Compared with other currently-serving
main battle tanks in the JGSDF, the Type 10 has been
equipped with enhancements in its capability to respond
to anti-tank warfare and other contingencies.* [98] The
Type 10 is to replace or complement the existing Type 74
and Type 90 main battle tanks that are currently in ser-
vice. Development began in the 1990s, with a prototype
revealed in February 2008. In January 2012, thirteen
Type 10 tanks entered JGSDF service. The vehicle's ar-
mor consists of modular components which signicantly
improves the side armor compared to the Type 90. The
16 CHAPTER 1. TANKS IN THE JAPANESE ARMY

[21] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 3, 5, 29.

[22] Zaloga 2007, p. 22.

[23] Antill, P. (2001). Type 61 Main Battle Tank.

[24] Japanese Ground Forces. GlobalSecurity.org.

[25] Type 10 Tank of Japan Ground Self Defense Force.

Global Military Review. Retrieved 3 April 2015.

[26] Hara 1972, p. 1.

[27] Hara 1972, p. 4.

[28] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 7, 10.

JGSDF Type10 Tank of the 1st Armored Training Unit
[29] Hara 1972, pp. 1517.

Type 10 uses the same 120 mm smoothbore gun as the
Type 90, which is made by Japan Steel Works.* [25] The
gun re newly developed APFSDS, type 10 APFSDS.
Type 10 can re JM33 APFSDS or all standard 120
mm NATO ammunition. However, Type 10 APFSDS
is specically designed for and can only be red by the
Type 10's gun.* [99]
[30] Zaloga 2007, p. 7.
[31] Coox 1985, pp. 154, 157.
[32] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 46, 54.
[33] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 39, 46.
[34] Report on Type 92 from September 1945 issue of Intel-
ligence Bulletin

[35] Takis Imperial Japanese Army: Type 94 Disinfecting

1.9 Notes Vehicle and Type 94 Gas Scattering Vehicle

[36] Coox 1985, p. 157.

[1] Zaloga 2007, p. 12.
[37] Tomczyk 2002, p. 55.
[2] Hara 1972, p. 22.
[38] Foss. Tanks: The 500.
[3] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army
[39] Zaloga (Armored Thunderbolt) pp. 15, 18
[4] Zaloga 2007, p. 4.
[40] Zaloga 2007, p. 10.
[5] Foss. Tanks: The 500. p. 220
[41] History of War:Type 97 Te-Ke Tankette
[6] Hara 1972, pp. 14.
[42] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 19, 25.
[7] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 6, 7.
[43] Zaloga 2007, pp. 5, 6.
[8] Tomczyk 2002, p. 7.
[44] Tomczyk 2002, p. 27.
[9] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 7, 10, 17.
[45] Tomczyk 2002, p. 64.
[10] Zaloga 2007, p. 5.
[46] Zaloga 2007, pp. 10, 17.
[11] Zaloga 2007, p. 6.
[47] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 67, 74.
[12] Zaloga 2007, p. 8.
[48] Zaloga 2007, p. chart D.
[13] Tomczyk 2002, p. 46.
[49] Zaloga 2007, pp. 18, 19, 20.
[14] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 29, 30. [50] History of War: Type 98 Light Tank
[15] Tomczyk 2002, p. 30. [51] Zaloga 2007, p. 18.
[16] Takis Imperial Japanese Army: Type 95 Heavy Tank [52] Tomczyk 2007, p. 14.
[17] Rottman & Takizawa 2008, p. 59. [53] Zaloga 2007, pp. 17, 18.
[18] Tomczyk 2005, p. 61. [54] Zaloga 2007, pp. 12, 13, 14.

[19] Zaloga 2007, p. 17. [55] History of War: Type 4 Ke-Nu

[20] Zaloga 2007, p. 15. [56] Tomczyk (II) 2007, p. 19.

1.10. REFERENCES 17

[57] Zaloga 2007, p. 11. [93] Tomczyk 2007, p. 10.

[58] Zaloga 2007, pp. 10, 11. [94] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 22, 30.

[59] Zaloga 2007, pp. 13, 14. [95] Taki

s Imperial Japanese Army: 75mm SP AT GunNa-
To
[60] Zaloga 2007, p. 14.
[96] Zaloga 2007, p. 20.
[61] Zaloga 2007, p. 16.
[97] Type 90 Tank -GlobalSecurity.org
[62] Zaloga 2007, pp. 17, 23. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/japan/
type-90.htm
[63] Zaloga 2007, pp. 21, 22.
[98] Introduction of the aircraft Type 10 tank -Japanese Min-
[64] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Tanks after Chi-Ha istry of Defense, Japan Defense Focus No.33 Column,
[65] Tomczyk 2005, p. 3. Oct 2012
http://www.mod.go.jp/e/jdf/no33/column.html
[66] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 3, 32.
[99] Japanese MOF report
[67] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 3, 5.

[68] History of War: Type 4 Chi-To

1.10 References
[69] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 19, 20.

[70] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 19, 2022, 30.

Coox, Alvin D. (1985). Nomonhan: Japan Against
Russia, 1939. Two volumes. Stanford University
[71] History of War: Type 5 Chi-Ri Medium Tank Press. ISBN 978-0-8047-1160-9.
[72] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 29, 30. Foss, Christopher (2003). Tanks: The 500. Crest-
line. ISBN 0-7603-1500-0.
[73] Tomczyk 2005, p. 23.
Hara, Tomio (1972). Japanese Medium Tanks.
[74] Tomczyk 2007, p. 30.
AFV Weapons Proles No. 49. Prole Publications
[75] Tomczyk 2007, p. 31. Limited.
[76] Tomczyk 2007, pp. 30, 31. Rottman, Gordon L.; Takizawa, Akira (2008).
World War II Japanese Tank Tactics. Osprey Pub-
[77] Takis Imperial Japanese Army page: Super-Heavy Tank
lishing. ISBN 978-1846032349.
O-I
Tomczyk, Andrzej (2002). Japanese Armor Vol. 1.
[78] Tomczyk 2003, p. 3.
AJ Press. ISBN 83-7237-097-4.
[79] Tomczyk 2003, p. 4.
Tomczyk (II), Andrzej (2007) [2002]. Japanese Ar-
[80] Taki's IJA: Type 2 Amphibious Vehicle Ka-Mi mor Vol. 2. AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371119.
[81] Zaloga 2007, pp. 23, 24. Tomczyk, Andrzej (2003). Japanese Armor Vol. 3.
AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371287.
[82] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Type 3 Amphibious
Tank Ka-Chi Tomczyk, Andrzej (2005). Japanese Armor Vol. 4.
[83] Tomczyk 2003, pp. 32, 33, 43.
AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371676.

[84] Zaloga 2007, p. 19.

Tomczyk, Andrzej (2007). Japanese Armor Vol. 5.
AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371799.
[85] Tomczyk 2007, p. 3.
Zaloga, Steven J. (2007). Japanese Tanks 193945.
[86] Tomczyk 2007, pp. 10, 20. Osprey. ISBN 978-1-8460-3091-8.
[87] History of War: Type 2 Ho-I Gun Tank

[88] Zaloga 2007, p. 21. 1.11 External links

[89] Takis Imperial Japanese Army: Type 2 Ho-I
History of War.org
[90] Zaloga 2007, pp. 19, 20.
Taki's Imperial Japanese Army Page - Akira Tak-
[91] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Type 3 Gun Tank Ho- izawa
Ni III
Artist rendition of the O-I
[92] Tomczyk 2007, pp. 10, 1213, 38.
Chapter 2
Japanese tanks of World War II
IJA 4th Armored Division with Type 3 Chi-Nu Medium Tanks
The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) initially purchased
foreign tanks for evaluation during World War I, and be-
gan developing its own indigenous designs during the late
1920s.
Due to the war with China, Japan produced a large num-
ber of tanks. Although initially the Japanese used tanks
to good eect in their campaigns, full-scale armored war-
fare did not occur in the Pacic and Southeast Asian the-
aters as it did in Europe, and tank development was ne-
glected in favor of naval activities. The best Japanese de-
signs were never used in combat as they were kept back
in expectation of defending the Japanese Home Islands.
2.1 Initial tank procurement
Japanese Whippets
18
Near the end of World War I, the Japanese showed an in-
terest in armored warfare and tanks and obtained a variety
of models from foreign sources. These models included
one British Heavy Mk IV and six Medium Mark A Whip-
pets, along with thirteen French Renault FTs (later desig-
nated Ko-Gata Sensha orType A Tank). The Mk IV
was purchased in October 1918 while the Whippets and
Renaults were acquired in 1919.* [1]
Trials with these vehicles were successful, and the Army
decided to establish an armored force in 1925, planning to
form three light tank battalions and one heavy tank battal-
ion. However, the greatest problem was equipping these
units, as the Japanese did not have any indigenous tank
production capability. The IJA therefore sent a mission to
purchase more tanks from Britain and France, requesting
newer designs. However, the newer tanks were not avail-
able as these countries had diculties supplying them to
their own armored forces, and the only available model
was the older Renault FT.* [2] The Japanese reluctantly
imported these but in 1929 they were able to acquire ten
examples of its successor, the Renault NC1 (designated
Otsu-Gata Sensha or Type B Tank). Both types of
tanks were still in active service in 1940, and additional
vehicles and spare parts were obtained after the Japanese
occupation of French Indochina. The Japanese also pur-
chased several Vickers 6-Ton tanks and Carden Loyd tan-
kettes and used these as a basis for further development
in tanks.* [3]
2.2 Doctrine
As with the Americans and the Italians, the Japanese
originally adopted French-designed tanks, and were inu-
enced by their doctrines and employment. As with many
other nations at the time, the Japanese viewed the tank
as a tool largely used in direct support of their infantry,
and were rarely allowed independent action. During the
Second Sino-Japanese War, Japanese tanks were success-
ful, especially as the Chinese had no signicant armoured
forces of their own.
With their defeat by the Soviet Union at Nomonhan in
1939, the Japanese began to rethink their tank designs
2.3. JAPANESE DESIGNS 19

2.3.1 Type 87 Chi-I medium tank (Exper-

imental 1st tank)

Japanese tank Type 95 Ha-Go captured by Soviet troops after

battle of Khalkhin Gol

Experimental tank No.1(ja: 1 ), 1927 (Imperial

and doctrine, although their emphasis would continue to year 2587)
remain on supporting the infantry. However, with the
beginning of the Pacic War, Japan's priorities shifted
to warship and aircraft production, and resources for the Development of the rst Japanese-designed tank began
production of armored vehicles for the Army were di- in June 1925. A team of engineers in the motorcar group
verted or curtailed.* [4] of the Technical Bureau participated in the development,
including a young army ocer, Major Tomio Hara.* [7]
In addition, the terrain of Southeast Asia and the is-
Major Hara later became the head of the tank develop-
lands of the Pacic were in general not suited to armored
ment department and would rise to the rank of General.
warfare, being largely tropical rainforests. Aside from
According to Hara, the rst tank on the agenda was to de-
the invasion of Malaya, and the Philippines, large-scale
velop a medium main battle tank.* [8] The team started
Japanese use of tanks was limited and therefore develop-
their design and worked hard to complete the project
ment of newer designs were not given high priority.
within the two years allocated.* [9] As this was the rst
Older tanks continued to be used as defensive emplace- tank designed in Japan, they had to begin with almost ev-
ments and infantry support weapons. Advanced Japanese ery component built from scratch.
tank designs which could challenge Allied tanks did not
The design was completed in May 1926 and production
appear until the close of World War II; as with many in-
was ordered to begin at the Osaka Army Arsenal. At the
novative weapons projects launched by Japan in the nal
time, there was little heavy industry allocated to the pro-
years of the war, production could not advance beyond ei-
duction of motor vehicles in Japan, so there were signif-
ther small numbers or the prototype stage due to material
icant diculties creating the prototype. The prototype
shortages, and the loss of Japan's industrial infrastructure
was completed by February 1927, within the required
to the Allied bombing of Japan.* [5]* [6]
period and ready for trials.* [10] Many IJA generals at-
tended the trials of the Type 87 Chi-I, however, it was
20-ton and under-powered.* [11] The weight of the initial
prototype and its low speed did not impress the Imperial
2.3 Japanese designs Japanese Army General Sta Oce, and a new require-
ment was issued for a lighter tank, with a nominal 10-
short-ton (9.1-metric-ton) weight. The new design was
For both security and logistical reasons, many engineers modeled after the Vickers Medium C which had been
in the Japanese Army Technical Bureau during the early bought by the Japanese Army in March 1927.* [12] Along
1920s were adamant that future tanks should be made in with the Osaka Army Arsenal, Sagami Army Arsenal was
Japan. General Suzuki (chief of the Technical Bureau) also assigned to oversee the design and manufacture of
protested the Ministry of War decision to purchase for- assorted types of armored vehicles and tanks.
eign designs, which ultimately led to that decision being The Type 87 Chi-I had a complex parallelogram suspen-
reversed. sion system with two pairs of road bogie wheels per leaf
However, indigenous design and production of armored spring arrangement. Hara designed a bell crank scissors
vehicles would prove to be dicult, due to minimal expe- suspension which paired the bogie wheels and connected
rience with military motor vehicle design (the engineers them to a coil spring mounted horizontally outside the
had only designed several types of trucks and one type hull. This suspension became standard on the majority
of tractor), along with low priority for tank steel produc- of the subsequently designed Japanese tanks and can be
tion. Moreover, the rst design had to be completed in seen on the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank and Type 97 Chi-
only two years or the program would be canceled. Ha medium tank, as examples.* [13]
20 CHAPTER 2. JAPANESE TANKS OF WORLD WAR II

2.3.2 Type 89 Chi-Ro medium tank

Main article: Type 89 Chi-Ro

The IJA decided that the Type 87 Chi-I was too heavy

Type 95 Ha-Go tank in New Britain following the Japanese sur-

render in 1945

Type 89 Chi-Ro advancing towards Manila, Philippines, January tanks (M3 Stuart light tanks in the Philippines) during
1942 World War II; and the only enemy tanks to have ever
landed on North American soil during any war.* [24]* [25]
and too slow to be used as its main tank, so the Type Several variants were built, among them: the prototype
89 Chi-Ro was developed to overcome these shortcom- Type 3 Ke-Ri, which mounted a 57 mm Model 97 gun;
ings.* [14] The new design weighed 12.8 tons and used the Type 4 Ke-Nu; and the Type 5 Ho-Ru, a proto-
stronger and lighter steel plate instead of the Type 87's type casemate-hulled turretless self-propelled gun simi-
iron armor. Armament was a Type 90 57 mm gun, lar to the German Hetzer, but with a Type 1 47 mm tank
along with two Type 91 6.5mm machine guns.* [15] The gun.* [26]
Type 89 design was completed in 1929, with production
starting in 1931, making this the rst tank to be mass-
produced in Japan.* [16] The Type 89 had two variants - 2.3.4 Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank
the KA
( ), which used a water-cooled gasoline engine,
and the Otsu (B), with an air-cooled diesel engine and
improved frontal armor.* [16] Of the two versions made,
a total of 113 K tanks and 291 Otsu tanks were pro-
duced.* [17] The Type 89 rst saw combat in China, but
was in the process of being replaced by the Type 97 Chi-
Ha by the start of World War II. The designation is also
known as the Type 89 I-Goand sometimes translit-
erated Yi-Go.* [18]* [19]

2.3.3 Type 95 Ha-Go light tank

Main article: Type 95 Ha-Go

The Type 95 Ha-Go was a replacement for the Type 89
medium tank which was considered too slow for mecha-
nized warfare. The prototypes were built by Mitsubishi
and production was started in 1936, with 2,300 com-
pleted by the end of the war.* [20] It was armed with
a 37 mm main gun and two 7.7 mm (0.303 inch) ma-
chine guns, one in the rear section of the turret and
the other hull-mounted. The Type 95 weighed 7.4 tons
and had three crewmen.* [21]* [22] It served during the
Battle of Khalkhin Gol (Nomonhan) against the Soviet
Union in 1939,* [23] against the British Army in Burma
and India,* [24] and throughout the Pacic Theater during
World War II. On 22 December 1941 the Type 95 light
tank earned the distinction of being the rst tank to en-
gage in tank vs tank combat with US manned American
Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha at the United States Army Ordnance
Museum, Aberdeen, Maryland, USA.
Main article: Type 97 Chi-Ha
The Type 97 medium tank Chi-Ha (
Kyunana-shiki chu-sensha chiha) was the most widely
produced Japanese medium tank of World War II, with
about 25 mm thick armor on its turret sides, and 30 mm
on its gun shield, considered average protection in the
1930s.* [27]* [28] Some 3,000 units were produced by
Mitsubishi, including several types of specialized tanks.
Initial versions were armed with a low-velocity Type 97
2.3. JAPANESE DESIGNS 21

57 mm tank gun, but from 1942 onwards, the Model 97

was armed with a high-velocity Type 1 47 mm tank gun,
mounted in a larger three man turret.* [29] This version
was designated Shinhoto Chi-Ha (new turret)* [30]
and is considered by many to be one of the best Japanese
tank designs of the war.

2.3.5 Type 98 Ke-Ni light tank

Main article: Type 98 Ke-Ni
The Type 98 light tank Ke-Ni (
Type 1 Chi-He

the Type 97 in both speed and armor protection, but the

Japanese Army had shown little interest in this new tank.
The three-man turret and 47 mm gun of the Type 1 were
retrotted on the hull of the Type 97 which the factories
were already producing. Even so, production of the tank
which began in 1943 was discontinued after less than one
year in favor of the Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tank.* [36]

Type 98A Ke-Ni 2.3.7 Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tank

Kyuhachi-shiki keisensha Ke-Ni) was designed to replace Main article: Type 3 Chi-Nu
the Imperial Japanese Army's Type 95 Ha-Go light tank. The Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tank was urgently de-
It is also referred to as the Type 98 Chi-Ni light tank by
some sources.* [31] Although developed in 1938 to ad-
dress deciencies in the Type 95 design already apparent
from combat experience in Manchukuo and China in the
Second Sino-Japanese War. The prototype of the new
Type 98 tank was completed in 1939 but production did
not begin until 1942. With the start of World War II,
the Imperial Japanese Army General Sta quickly real-
ized that the Type 95 design was vulnerable to heavy ma-
chinegun re - 0.5 in (13 mm) - and as such attempted
to develop a light tank with the same weight as the Type
95, but with thicker armor.* [32] The Type 98 had a two-
man turret, an improvement on the asymmetrical turret
used on the Type 95, carrying a Type 100 37mm tank
gun, with a muzzle velocity of 760 m/s (2,500 ft/s) and Type 3 Chi-Nu
with a coaxial 7.7 mm machine-gun to the side. A to-
veloped to counter the American M4 Sherman medium
tal of 104 Type 98s are known to have been built: 1 in
1941, 24 in 1942 and 79 in 1943.* [33] One prototype tank. Originally, the next tank in development to replace
the Chi-He was the Type 4 Chi-To medium tank. How-
variant built was the Type 98 Ta-Se, an anti-aircraft tank
which mounted a 20 mm AA gun.* [34] Another variant ever, the development of the Chi-To and the Type 5 Chi-
was known as the Type 2 Ke-To light tank, which be- Ri were delayed, and a stopgap tank was required.* [37]
gan production in 1944. It mounted an improved Type 1The development of Chi-Nu started in May 1943 and was
nished by October. The low priority given tanks, along
37mm gun in an enlarged turret.* [32] However, only 34
tanks were completed by the end of the war.* [35] with the raw material shortages meant that the Type 3
did not enter production until 1944.* [38] The Chi-Nu re-
tained the same chassis and suspension of the Type 97
2.3.6 Type 1 Chi-He medium tank but with a large new hexagonal gun turret and a comman-
der's cupola.* [39] The main armament, a Type 3 75 mm
Main article: Type 1 Chi-He tank gun, was one of the largest guns used on Japanese
The Type 1 Chi-He was developed in 1942 to replace tanks.* [40] The Chi-Nu was the last IJA tank deployed,
the Type 97. The newer tank proved to be superior to and production continued until the end of the war. The
22 CHAPTER 2. JAPANESE TANKS OF WORLD WAR II

tank was allocated to the Japanese home islands to defend

against the projected Allied Invasion.* [36]

2.3.8 Type 4 Chi-To medium tank

Main article: Type 4 Chi-To

The Type 4 medium tank Chi-To (

Incomplete prototype of the Type 5 Chi-Ri medium tank

As with many innovative weapons projects launched by

Japan in the nal days of World War II, production could
not advance due to material shortages, and the loss of
Japan's industrial infrastructure to the allied bombing of
Japan. A single prototype Type 5 was seized by American
forces during the occupation of Japan.* [46]
Type 4 Chi-To medium tank

Yonshiki chsensha Chi-To) was one of several 2.3.10 Experimental Type 5 Ho-Ri tank
new medium and heavy tanks developed by the Imperial destroyer
Japanese Army towards the end of World War II. It was
by far the most advanced Japanese wartime tank to reach
the production phase.* [41]
The Type 4 Chi-To was a thirty-ton, all-welded tank
with a maximum armor thickness of about 75 mm.
It was much larger than the Type 97 Chi-Ha, with
a longer, wider, tall chassis, supported by seven road
wheels.* [6]* [42] The main armament, a Type 5 75 mm
tank gun was housed in a large powered, well-armoured
hexagonal gun turret along with a coaxial machine gun. A
single Type 97 heavy tank machine gun was mounted in
the front hull. Only two Type 4 Chi-To tanks were com- Experimental Type 5 gun tank Ho-Ri I mock-up scale model
pleted prior to the end of the war with an additional four
chassis being manufactured. Neither of the two com- See also: Type 5 Chi-Ri
pleted units saw combat use.* [41]* [43]
The Ho-Ri was a more powerful tank destroyer (gun
2.3.9 Type 5 Chi-Ri medium tank tank) using a 105 mm cannon in place of the 75 mm
design and an additional 37 mm gun. It was to use the
Main article: Type 5 Chi-Ri Type 5 Chi-Ri tank chassis. The superstructure for the
The Type 5 medium tank Chi-Ri ( Go- main gun was placed at the rear and the engine was to
shiki chusensha Chi-ri) was the ultimate medium tank de- be placed in the center area of the chassis.* [47] Another
veloped by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War version was to have a twin 25 mm anti-aircraft gun on
II. Intended to be a heavier, lengthened, more powerful top of the rear superstructure.* [48] No prototypes were
version of Japan's sophisticated Type 4 Chi-To medium built.* [49]
tank, in performance it was designed to surpass the US
M4 Sherman medium tanks being elded by the Allied
forces. Originally, the tank was to be tted with the
2.3.11 O-I superheavy tank
same Type 5 75 mm tank gun used on the Type 4 Chi-
To.* [44]* [45] Eventually, an 88 mm gun (based on the Main article: O-I
Type 99 88 mm AA Gun) was planned for the turret; a
secondary weapon of a front hull-mounted Type 1 37 mm The O-I experimental superheavy tank had three turrets
tank gun was tted in the position normally taken by a and weighed 120 tons, and required a crew of 11 men.
machine gun.* [6]* [44] It was 10 meters long by 4.2 meters wide with an overall
2.4. SEE ALSO 23

height of 4 meters. The armor was 200 mm at its max-

imum, and the tank had a top speed of 25 km/h. It had
two gasoline engines, and was armed with 1 x 105 mm
cannon, 1 x Type 1 47 mm gun (in a forward-mounted
sub-turret), and 3 x Type 97 7.7 mm machine guns (one
mounted in a forward sub-turret).* [50] It has been re-
ported the one prototype of the O-I was manufactured
in 1943. However, the tank was unpracticaland the
project ended. No images of the O-I are known to ex-
ist.* [50]

2.3.12 Amphibious tanks

Type 3 Chi-Nu tank at the nal stage of assembly

erative armored vehicles and tank types throughout the

war; but largely held them in reserve, for home-land de-
fense.

2.4 See also

List of Japanese armoured ghting vehicles of
World War II

Tanks in the Japanese Army

Type 2 Ka-Mi being tested by Australian soldiers, 1945 List of Japanese armored divisions

During the 1930s and 1940s, Japan produced several am-

phibious tank designs,* [51] including the Type 1 Mi-Sha, 2.5 References
Type 2 Ka-Mi, Type 3 Ka-Chi, Type 5 To-Ku; amphibi-
ous transports included the F B Swamp Vehicle, Type 4
Ka-Tsu APC, Toku 4 Shiki Naikatei APC, and the SRII 2.5.1 Notes
Ro-Go. All were for use by the Japanese Special Naval
[1] Zaloga 2007, p. 4.
Landing Forces. The Type 1 was an early experimental
design, that led to the Type 2 Ka-Mi, which was the rst [2] Hara 1972, p. 3.
production Japanese amphibious tank; although begin-
ning in 1942 only 182 to 184 units were built.* [33]* [52] [3] Foss. Tanks: The 500. p. 220
The Type 3 Ka-Chi was based on an extensively modi- [4] Zaloga 2007, pp. 3, 15.
ed Type 1 Chi-He tank and was a larger and more ca-
pable version of the earlier Type 2 Ka-Mi amphibious [5] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 3, 5, 29.
tank.* [53] Only 19 Type 3 Ka-Chi tanks were built dur- [6] Zaloga 2007, p. 22.
ing the war.* [54] The tanks were used later in the war as
dug-in pillboxes on Pacic islands. [7] Hara 1972, pp. 14.

[8] Hara 1972, p. 1.

2.3.13 Overall production [9] Hara 1972, p. 4.

In the period between 1931 and 1938 the Japanese built [10] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 6, 7.
nearly 1,700 new tanks* [17] giving them, by 1940, the
[11] Tomczyk 2002, p. 7.
5th largest tank force in the world.* [55] By 1937, Japan
elded 1,060 tanks in 8 regiments. The peak of Japanese [12] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 7, 10.
tank production was in 1942, but declined afterwards ow-
ing to aircraft and warship priorities, along with mate- [13] Hara 1972, pp. 1517.
rial shortages. By 1944, total production of tanks and [14] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 7, 10, 17.
AFV's had fallen to 925 and for 1945, only 256 were pro-
duced.* [33] Japan developed many experimental and op- [15] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 19, 25.
24 CHAPTER 2. JAPANESE TANKS OF WORLD WAR II

[16] Zaloga 2007, pp. 5, 6. [52] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Type 2 Amphibious Ve-
hicle Ka-Mi
[17] Zaloga 2007, p. 10.
[53] Zaloga 2007, pp. 23, 24.
[18] Tomczyk 2002, p. 17.
[54] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Type 3 Amphibious
[19] Zaloga 2007, p. 5. Tank Ka-Chi
[20] Zaloga 2007, pp. 10, 17. [55] Zaloga 2007, p. 3; Japan was in the forefront of tank
[21] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 67, 74. technology in the 1930s.

[22] Zaloga 2007, p. chart D.

2.5.2 Bibliography
[23] Coox 1985, pp. 350, 370.

[24] Hunnicutt p. 395 Coox, Alvin D. (1985). Nomonhan: Japan Against

Russia, 1939. Two volumes. Stanford University
[25] Zaloga 2007, p. 17, photo & caption. Press. ISBN 978-0-8047-1160-9.
[26] Zaloga 2007, pp. 18, 19, 20. Foss, Christopher (2003). Tanks: The 500. Crest-
[27] Tomczyk (II) 2007, p. 19. line. ISBN 0-7603-1500-0.

[28] Zaloga 2007, p. 11. Hara, Tomio (1972). Japanese Medium Tanks.
AFV Weapons Proles No. 49. Prole Publications
[29] Zaloga 2007, pp. 13, 14. Limited.
[30] Zaloga 2007, p. 14. Hara, Tomio (1973). Japanese Combat Cars, Light
[31] History of War: Type 98 Light Tank Tanks, and Tankettes. AFV Weapons Prole No.
54. Prole Publications Limited.
[32] Zaloga 2007, p. 18.
Hunnicutt, R. P. (1992). Stuart: A History of the
[33] Zaloga 2007, p. 17. American Light Tank. Volume One. Presidio Press.
[34] Tomczyk 2007, p. 14. ISBN 978-0-89141-462-9.

[35] Zaloga 2007, pp. 17, 18. Tomczyk, Andrzej (2002). Japanese Armor Vol. 1.
AJ Press. ISBN 83-7237-097-4.
[36] Zaloga 2007, pp. 21, 22.
Tomczyk (II), Andrzej (2007) [2002]. Japanese Ar-
[37] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Tanks after Chi-Ha mor Vol. 2. AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371119.
[38] Tomczyk 2005, p. 3.
Tomczyk, Andrzej (2003). Japanese Armor Vol. 3.
[39] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 3, 32. AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371287.

[40] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 3, 5. Tomczyk, Andrzej (2005). Japanese Armor Vol. 4.
AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371676.
[41] History of War: Type 4 Chi-To Medium Tank Retrieved
10 December 2014 Tomczyk, Andrzej (2007). Japanese Armor Vol. 5.
AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371799.
[42] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 19, 20.

[43] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 19, 2022, 30. Zaloga, Steven J. (2007). Japanese Tanks 193945.
Osprey. ISBN 978-1-8460-3091-8.
[44] History of War: Type 5 Chi-Ri Medium Tank Retrieved
10 December 2014

[45] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 29, 30. 2.6 External links

[46] Tomczyk 2005, p. 23.
History of War.org
[47] Tomczyk 2007, p. 30.
Imperial Japanese Army Page - Akira Takizawa
[48] Tomczyk 2007, p. 31.

[49] Tomczyk 2007, pp. 30, 31.

[50] Takis Imperial Japanese Army: Super-Heavy TankO-

I

[51] Tomczyk 2003, p. 3.

 Chapter 3
Type 89 I-Go
The Type 89 medium tank I-Go ( ter the Vickers Medium tank.* [7] By February 1927, the
Hachiky-shiki ch-sensha I-g) was a medium tank
used by the Imperial Japanese Army from 1932 to 1942
in combat operations of the Second Sino-Japanese War,
at Khalkhin Gol against the Soviet Union, and in the
Second World War. The Type 89B model was the world's
rst mass-produced diesel engine tank.* [2] The tank was
armed with a short-barrel 57 mm cannon for knocking
out pillboxes and masonry fortications, and proved ef-
fective in campaigns in Manchuria and China, as the
Chinese National Revolutionary Army had only three
tank battalions to oppose them, which consisted primar-
ily of Vickers export models, German Panzer Is, and
Italian CV33 tankettes.* [3] The Type 89 was a 1920s
design medium tank, built to support the infantry, and
thus lacked the armor or armament of 1940s generation
Allied armor; and was regarded as obsolete by the time
of the 1939 battles of Khalkhin Gol, against the Soviet
Union.* [4] The code designation I-Gocomes from
the katakana letter [] forrstand the kanji [] for
number. The designation is also transliterated Chi-Ro
and sometimes Yi-Go.* [5]* [6]
Experimental tank No.1(ja: 1 ), 1927 (Imperial
year 2587)
3.1 History and development
The Type 89 evolved from Japan's rst domestic tank
project initiated by the Japanese Army's Osaka Techni-
cal Arsenal in 1925. The original plan was for two types
of tanks to be created. A light tank at 10-ton based on the
French Renault FT tank and a 20-ton design modeled af-
Type 87 Chi-I medium tank was ready for trials. How-
ever, it was 20-ton and under-powered.* [8] The weight of
the initial prototype and its low speed did not impress the
Imperial Japanese Army General Sta Oce, and a new
requirement was issued for a lighter tank, with a nomi-
nal 10-short-ton (9.1-metric-ton) weight. The new design
was modeled after the Vickers Medium C which had been
bought by the Japanese Army in March 1927.* [9]
By April 1928, the new light tank design was nished and
designated as the Type 89. The prototype of the Type
89 light tank ( 1 ) was com-
pleted in 1929.* [6] Later, the Type 89 was re-classied
as amedium tankbecause the weight increased to over
10 tons due to several improvements.
As the Army's Sagami Arsenal lacked the capacity for
mass production, a contract was awarded to Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries, which built a new tank factory to
specically produce this model.* [6] Production of the
Type 89 began in 1931 and it soon became the main tank
of the Imperial Japanese Army.* [10]
Although the Type 89 was well regarded by the Japanese
Army, there were several small problems to be rectied,
notably a gap under the mantlet on early models that al-
lowed rie re to enter the turret. Work continued on
improving the Type 89 after the production started, and
as a result variants were developed.* [11]
3.2 Design
The Type 89 required a crew of four (comman-
der/gunner, loader, driver and hull gunner).
The design of the Type 89 was relatively conventional
with a forward-mounted gun turret carrying the main ar-
mament, a Type 90 57 mm gun that was complemented
by two Type 91 6.5 mm machine guns. One was placed
in the turret and pointed towards the rear, a practice fol-
lowed with most Japanese tanks, and one was located in
the hull.* [12] The Type 90 57 mm Tank Gun had a bar-
rel length of 0.85 metres (33 in) (L14.9) el angle of re
of 15 to +20 degrees, AZ angle of re of 20 degrees,
muzzle velocity of 380 m/s (1,200 ft/s), and could pene-
25
26 CHAPTER 3. TYPE 89 I-GO

Top view of Type 89B I-Go Otsu

hull were replaced by a single shallow-sloped frontal

armor plate which provided more protection for the
driver. However, the major dierence between the
Type 89 medium tank Ko early model. versions was the Mitsubishi air-cooled 6-cylinder
diesel engine, which had several advantages: re-
duced vulnerability to re of a gas engine; better
trate of 20 mm of armor at 500 m (0.8 in/550 yd).
fuel economy; greater torque at lower revolutions.
Rather than using soft iron armor, as on the earlier Type A diesel engine was also preferred by the Japanese
87, the designers chose to use steel plate armor developed Army because more diesel fuel than gasoline could
by the Nihon Seikosho Company (JSW). The type of ar- be produced per barrel of oil. A total of 291 Otsu
mor was referred to as 'Niseko steel', an abbreviation of tanks were produced.* [16] The Type 89B Otsu ver-
Nihonseikosho.* [13] sion was the rst mass-produced tank with a diesel
The Type 89 was driven through the rear drive sprocket engine.* [6]
and featured nine bogies, mounted in pairs on each side,
with the forward bogie on an independent suspension.
Five smaller return wheels were mounted along a steel 3.4 Combat history
girder.* [14] The Type A could only communicate with
signal ags.* [14] Some vehicles were provided with two
searchlights for night operations. Later the Type 94 Mk
4 Hei (1934 model) radio communication device with
range of 0.6 miles and weight of 198 lb, linked with a
radio antenna of 29 ft 6 in (8.99 m) in a reverse L shape
was installed.

3.3 Variants
Type 89A I-Go K ( )
- The initial production model had a water-cooled
Daimler-type 100 hp engine (
da-shiki hyaku-bariki hatsudki) 6-cylinder Japanese tanks moving toward Manila, January 1942.
gasoline engine and mounted a machine gun on the
right side of the hull.* [6] This design could only at-The Type 89 was deployed for infantry support opera-
tain 15.5 km/h, and was also limited by the severe tions in the Second Sino-Japanese War. It served with
winter climate in northern China. A total of 113 Japanese infantry divisions before that, and rst saw com-
tanks were produced.* [15] bat use during the First Battle of Shanghai in 1932.* [17]
The short-barreled 57 mm gun was eective at destroy-
ing machine gun nests and its 15 mm (0.59 in) armor,
Type 89B I-Go Otsu () although thin, was enough to stop small arms re. The
- The Ko was superseded in production from 1934 relatively low speed of 25 km/h *(16 mph) was not an is-
by the model Otsu with an air-cooled Mitsubishi sue in these types of operations. [18]
A6120VD 120 hp diesel engine.* [6] The improved The following year, the Japanese Army formed its rst in-
model had a new asymmetric shapedgun tur- dependent armor force by creating three regiments armed
ret complete with a cupola for the commander, and with the Type 89 I-Go,* [2] each consisting of two com-
with the machine gun relocated to the left side of panies with ten tanks each. Three more regiments were
the hull.* [10] The multiple armor plates of the front formed in 1934. Type 89s were the main medium tank
3.5. WORLD WAR II JAPANESE UNITS EQUIPPED WITH THE TYPE 89 TANK 27

of the Japanese military through 1937 and were used in moved several thousands yards* [26] where they met up
various campaigns throughout China after 1937.* [19] with Japanese infantry.
The 4th Tank Regiment had expended 1,100 37 mm and
3.4.1 Battle of Khalkhin Gol 129 57 mm tank shells during the ght, as well as about
16,000 machine gun rounds. Of the approximate 73 light
and medium Japanese tanks from both regiments com-
mitted to the oensive, 13 were damaged beyond re-
pair by Soviet gunre, about 14 others were repaired af-
ter major overhauls, and 17 tanks were repaired in the
eld.* [27]
Soviet forces concluded that the 1st Tank Corps had pen-
etrated the defenses of their 9th Armored Brigade and
149th Infantry Regiment and had reached Soviet artillery
positions.* [28]

3.4.2 Other Service

Type 89 prior to the Battle of Khalkhin Gol

On the evening of 2 July 1939, during the battle of

Khalkhin Gol, the Japanese Army's 1st Tank Corps, com-
manded by Lt. General Yasuoka Masaomi, launched an
oensive against the Soviet Union's 11th Tank and 7th
Armored brigades.* [20] The 1st Tank Corps consisted of
the 3rd Tank Regiment and 4th Tank Regiment; of which
the 3rd regiment consisted of 26 Type 89s, four Type 97
medium tanks, seven Type 94 tankettes, and four Type
97 tankettes, and the 4th regiment contained 35 Type Type 89I-Goon display at the United States Army Ordnance
95s, eight Type 89s, and three Type 94 tankettes respec- Museum.
tively.* [21] In this battle, the Type 97 medium tank was
a newly elded machine, and was primarily reserved for By 1942 the Type 89 was gradually being withdrawn from
home units, as well as transitioning into Japanese Army front-line combat service, but many units saw action in
forces stationed in China (Manchuria).* [22] the Battle of the Philippines, Battle of Malaya, and Burma
campaign, and continued to be used in China. They were
The 3rd Tank Regiment had, after charging through So- also often used in static defense positions in the Japanese-
viet artillery barrages, successfully managed to overrun occupied islands of the Netherlands East Indies and in the
the Soviet motorized infantry, and took the high ground, South Pacic Mandate, but with their weak armor and low
which had been quickly abandoned by the Soviets. How- muzzle velocity main gun they were a poor match for the
ever, by 2100 hours, Soviet counter battery re had be- American M4 Sherman.* [29]
gun pounding the newly taken position, and the 3rd Tank
re-positioned themselves behind the objective.* [23] During the early stages of the First Indochina War,
France set up an ad hoc unit of French and Japanese ar-
The 4th Tank Regiment, which had become separated mour called the 'Commando Blind du Cambodge' from
from the 3rd Tank Regiment, advanced upon an objec- tanks left over from the Japanese invasion of French In-
tive under the cover of a thunderstorm which masked dochina.* [30]
their movements, but exposed the Soviet positions.* [24]
The 4th Tank Regiment continued to advance, when sud-
denly a shift in the lightning ashes illuminated the ad-
vancing Japanese tanks, whereupon the Soviets imme-
3.5 World War II Japanese units
diately opened re with anti-tank guns, heavy machine equipped with the Type 89
guns, and artillery.* [24] However, the range was so close,
that the Soviet artillery could not depress their guns any
Tank
lower, and the 4th Tank Regiment was ordered to charge
at about 0020 hours (12:20 AM). Soviet shells passed 1st Independent Mixed Brigade
wildly over the charging tanks as they penetrated over a 3rd Tank Regiment
thousand yards into the Soviet lines.* [25] Now isolated,
and deep within the Soviet lines, the 4th Tank Regiment 4th Tank Regiment
28 CHAPTER 3. TYPE 89 I-GO

7th Tank Regiment 3.7 In Popular Culture

2nd Independent Tank Company
A Type 89 B is featured in the show Girls und Panzer, un-
1st Special Tank Company der the ownership of the Ooarai Girls High School.* [31]

1st Tank Battalion

2nd Tank Battalion

3.8 Notes
5th Tank Battalion [1] Zaloga 2007, pp. 6, 10.

[2] Zaloga 2007, p. 6.

Special Tank Company of China Detachment Tank
Unit [3] Zaloga 2007, p. 12.

7th Tank Regiment [4] Foss. The Great Book of Tanks.

8th Independent Tank Company [5] Tomczyk 2002, p. 17.

[6] Zaloga 2007, p. 5.

9th Independent Tank Company
[7] Tomczyk 2002, p. 6.
2nd Tank Division
[8] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 6, 7.
Shanghai SNLF Tank Company
[9] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 7, 10.
SNLF Tank School at Tateyama IJN Ordnance [10] Zaloga 2007, pp. 5, 6.

[11] Foss. The Great Book of Tanks.

3.6 Survivors [12] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 19, 25, 27.

[13] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: The Development of

Imperial Japanese Tanks

[14] Tomczyk 2002, p. 25.

[15] Zaloga 2007, p. 10.

[16] Zaloga 2007, pp. 5, 6, 10.

[17] Tomczyk 2002, p. 27.

[18] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: The Development of

Imperial Japanese Tanks

[19] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 17, 27.

[20] Coox 1985, pp. 324 (map), 363.

[21] Coox 1985, pp. 349, 350.

One of the many relics of Type 89s that were deployed to the
[22] Coox 1985, p. 350.
Philippines during World War II is located at Villa Escudero in
Quezon Province Philippines. [23] Coox 1985, pp. 376, 377.

[24] Coox 1985, p. 386.

The United States Army Depot at Anniston, AL [25] Coox 1985, p. 387.
(where it is labelled as a Type 89 Chi-Ro).
[26] Coox 1985, pp. 390393.
The Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force base at
[27] Coox 1985, p. 425.
Tsuchiura, Ibaraki, Japan. Restored to running con-
dition. [28] Coox 1985, p. 395.

Sinbudai Old Weapon Museum, Camp Asaka, [29] Foss. The Great Book of Tanks.
Japan [30] Dunstan, Vietnam Tracks: Armor in Battle 1945-1975,
pp. 1011.
Villa Escudero, Tiaong, Quezon Province, Philip-
pines [31] http://girls-und-panzer.jp/mecha_89shiki.html
3.10. EXTERNAL LINKS 29

3.9 References
Coox, Alvin D. (1985). Nomonhan: Japan Against
Russia, 1939 (Two volumes). Stanford, California:
Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-1160-7.

Foss, Christopher (2003). Great Book of Tanks: The

World's Most Important Tanks from World War I to
the Present Day. Zenith Press. ISBN 0-7603-1475-
6.
Foss, Christopher (2003). Tanks: The 500. Crest-
line. ISBN 0-7603-1500-0.
Tomczyk, Andrzej (2002). Japanese Armor Vol. 1.
AJ Press. ISBN 83-7237-097-4.
Zaloga, Steven J. (2007). Japanese Tanks 193945.
Osprey. ISBN 978-1-8460-3091-8.

3.10 External links

Photo gallery

History of War: Chi-Ro Medium Tank

Japanese Type 89 CHI-RO Medium Tank at how-
stuworks.com
Taki's Imperial Japanese Army Page

Type 89 B at the Girls und Panzer ocial website

Type 89 I-Go/Chi-Ro at Wargaming.net

Chapter 4

Type 95 Ha-Go

For Ha-Go, the Japanese attack in February 1944 in cavalry tank.

Burma, see Battle of the Admin Box.
Production was started in 1936 by Mitsubishi Heavy In-
dustries. Mass production began in 1938 with the tank
The Type 95 Ha-G ( kygo-shiki and parts made by several dierent companies; besides
kei-sensha Ha-G) (also known as Ke-Go* [5] was a light Mitsubishi, that included, Niigata Tekkosh, Dowa Jido
tank used by the Imperial Japanese Army in combat op- Sho, Sagami Arsenal Kokura Rikugu Jiohei Sho and Ih-
erations of the Second Sino-Japanese War, at Nomonhan esil.* [9]* [10]
against the Soviet Union, and in the Second World War. It
proved sucient against infantry, but, like the American
M3 Stuart, it was not designed to ght other tanks.* [6]
Approximately 2,300 units were produced,* [1] making it
the most numerous Japanese armored ghting vehicle of
the time.

4.1 History and development

From early 1930s, the Japanese army began experiment-
ing on a mechanized warfare unit combining infantry with
tanks. However, the Type 89 Medium tank could not
keep pace with the motorized infantry, which could move
at 40 km/h (25 mph) by truck. In combat, motorized in-
fantry could only hope to achieve 40 km advance per day.
For transport, tanks could be loaded on train platforms
like in any other army of the times. To solve this prob-
lem, the Army Technical Bureau proposed a new light
tank of 7 tonnes or less capable of 40 km/h speed and
started development in 1933.
The prototype of the new tank was begun in 1933 and
completed in 1934 at the Army's Sagami Arsenal.* [7] Japanese Type 95 light tank Ha-Go Prototype, after the weight
Initial tests were positive but it was too heavy at 7.5 tonnes reduction modication, 1934
and had to be reworked bringing the weight down to 6.5
t. Due to doubts by the infantry as to its capability for in-
fantry support it was tested in Manchuria in the winter of
1934/1935.* [8] The reports were favourable and a second 4.2 Design
prototype built, being completed in November 1935.* [7]
In 1935, at a meeting in the Army Technical Bureau, the The Type 95 was a 7.4-tonne vehicle with a complement
Type 95 was proposed as the main tank for mechanized of 3 crewmen: a commander, a hull machine gunner, and
infantry units. The infantry had concerns that the armor a driver. Only the commander was seated in the turret,
was insucient; however, the cavalry indicated that the hence he was responsible for observation, loading, aim-
improved speed and armament compensated for thin ar- ing, ring the main gun, as well as decision-making and
mor. In the end, the infantry agreed, as the Type 95 was commanding the crew.* [3]* [11] The hand-operated tur-
still superior to the only available alternative, the Type 92 ret was small and extremely cramped.

30
4.2. DESIGN 31

Type 95 light tank Ha-Go 1st Prototype, before the weight reduc-
tion modication.

Type 95 on display at the United States Army Ordnance Museum,

front view

Type 95 Ha-Go tanks in New Britain following the Japanese sur-

render

The primary armament of the most produced version was

a Type 94 (1934) 37 mm Tank Gun (not to be confused
with the Type 94 37 mm Anti-Tank Gun introduced two
years later) with the barrel length of 46.1* [12] calibers.
It elevated between 15 to +20 degrees. The tank carried
two types of 37 mm ammunition, the high-explosive and
armor-piercing. For the latter, muzzle velocity was 580
m/s (1,900 ft/s) and the armor penetration was 36 mm
(1.4 in) at a distance of 275 m (902 ft).* [13]
Secondary armament was originally two 6.5 mm Type 91 Left side view
machine guns, but these were replaced with two 7.7 mm
Type 97 light machine guns, one mounted in the hull front
and the other in the back of the turret, facing to the rear
right (that is, in the ve-o-clock direction).* [4] ground. It was provided with an interior layer of asbestos
The most characteristic feature of the Type 95 tank was padding separated from the hull with an air gap, to isolate
its simple suspension system. Two bogie wheels were sus- the crew from the sun-heated armor plates, and to protect
pended on a single bell crank with two bell cranks per the crew *
from injury when the tank moved across rough
side. The tracks were driven through the front sprockets. terrain. [14]
There were two return wheels. The suspension had trou- The Type 95 was tted with a 120 hp (89.5 kW) Mit-
bles early on, with a tendency to pitch so badly on rough subishi A6120VDe air-cooled 6-cylinder diesel engine.
ground that the crew sometimes found it impossible to It was located in the rear compartment on the right side.
drive at any speed, and so it was modied with a brace to The power unit gave it good mobility.* [4] Some tanks
connect the pairs of bogies. Despite this, the tank con- were tted with two reectors in the front of the vehicle
tinued to give its users a rough ride across any uneven for night operations.
32
4.3 Variants
Type 95 Ha-G (early production)
An early production version that diered
from the most produced model by using
less powerful armament: the main gun was
37 mm Type 94 with the barrel length of
36.7 calibers, muzzle velocity of 575 (1900
fps)* [15]* [16]600 m/s (2200 fps), armor
penetration* [17] of 45 mm at 300 m (1.48
inches at 300 yards).* [16] Secondary arma-
ment consisted of two Type 91 6.5 mm ma-
chine guns. Produced until 1937 with less
than 100 made.* [15] Used in Manchukuo and
China. Of this variant, the very rst produc-
tion tanks used the older 110 hp (82 kW) Mit-
subishi engine (as used in the Type 89 I-Go
medium tank), and had a top speed of 25 mph
(40 km/h).
Type 95 Ha-G (Hokuman version)
Due to issues in Manchukuo with sorghum grass in elds
getting trapped in the suspension/wheels, the wheel sus-
pension components were inverted so the tanks could
move freely through the grass. This modied version was
used in the Battle for Nomohan.
Type 95 Ha-G (later production)
Among other improvements to the engine
and main gun, the secondary armament was
changed to two Type 97 7.7 mm machine guns,
one in the rear section of the turret and one in
the front hull.* [4]
Type 95 Ri-Ki Crane Vehicle
The Type 95 Ri-Ki was an engineering vehi-
cle for eld works. It had a 3-ton 4.5 meter
boomed crane.
Type 95 So-Ki armored railroad car
Main article: Type 95 So-Ki
The Type 95 So-Ki was a armored rail-
road car designed to a requirement of the
Kwantung Army for patrolling and guarding
remote narrow gauge railway lines. It was t-
ted with a retractable wheel arrangement un-
derneath to enable it to run on rails. Between
121 and 138 units were manufactured between
1935 and 1943, which operated in both China
and Burma.* [18]* [19]
CHAPTER 4. TYPE 95 HA-GO
Type 2 Ka-Mi Amphibious Tank
Main article: Type 2 Ka-Mi
This was the rst amphibious tank produced
in Japan, and was intended for use by the
Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces. The
chassis was based on the Type 95 Ha-Go and
it main armament was the same, a 37 mm
tank gun. The pontoons were attached by a
system of small clipswith a release in-
side the tank, to be engaged once it landed
for ground combat operations.* [20] The Type
2 Ka-Mi was rst used in combat on Guadal-
canal in late 1942. Later they were encoun-
tered by the United States Marine Corps in
the Marshall Islands and Mariana Islands, par-
ticularly on Saipan.* [21] They were also used
during the ghting on the Philippine island of
Leyte in late 1944.* [22] They were made in
19431944, with 182 completed.* [23]
Type 3 Ke-Ri proposition
This was a proposed model with a Type 97 57
mm gun as the main armament. This design
never got past testing in 1943.
Type 4 Ke-Nu light tank
Type 4 Ke-Nu conversion
Main article: Type 4 Ke-Nu
The conversion that replaced the existing turret
with the large turret of Type 97 Chi-Ha, armed
with the low-velocity 57 mm gun. The conver-
sion was done in 1944, with approximately 100
units completed.* [24]
4.4. COMBAT HISTORY
Type 4 Ho-To SPG with a Type 38 12 cm howitzer
Type 4 Ho-To prototype
The Ho-To was a self-propelled gun on a mod-
ied Ha-Go chassis. It mounted a Type 38
12 cm howitzer. One prototype was com-
pleted.* [25]
Type 5 Ho-Ru prototype
The Ho-Ru was a light tank destroyer simi-
lar to the German Hetzer, but armed with the
weaker 47 mm main gun (Type 1 47 mm tank
gun). The Type 5 Ho-Ru utilized the chassis
of the Type 95 Ha-Go, but its suspension was
enlarged to 350 mm track link width. There
were two set rows of wheel guide pins, holding
a road wheel between them. The sprocket of
the driving wheel was the grating type to gear
with the wheel guide pins like on the Soviet
T-34. The development of the Type 5 Ho-Ru
started in February 1945 with only a single pro-
totype being completed before the end of the
war.* [26]* [27]
4.4 Combat history
It is considered one of the best light tanks in 1935, being
armed with a 37 mm cannon, and powered by a diesel
engine, a fuel considered by some to be superior due to
its low volatility.* [16]* [28]* [29]* [30]* [31] As with most
armies in the 1930s, including the US Army, the tank,
and the light tank in particular, were used primarily to
support infantry* [32] or serve as cavalry reconnaissance
and to a lesser extent, as raiding vehicles. Its speed was
about 18 mph cross country, which was comparable to the
M3 Stuart's 20 mph nearly 6 years later in 1941.* [3]* [33]
In armor, road speed, and weaponry, the Type 95 was
far inferior to the (ve years older) American M3 Stu-
art light tanks, but the environment of the Philippines
(where roads were sparse and tank engagements took
place at near point blank range) largely minimized these
33
disadvantages and allowed the Type 95 to be competi-
tive, as its o-road speed and turret rotation was compa-
rable.* [34]* [23]
Type 95 proved sucient against opposing infantry in
campaigns in Manchuria and China, as the Chinese
National Revolutionary Army had only three tank battal-
ions consisting of Vickers export tanks, German PzKpfw
I light tanks, and Italian CV33 tankettes* [35] to oppose
them. However, the Type 95, like the US M3 Stuart,
was not designed to ght other tanks, but for infantry sup-
port* [36] and due to the IJN's priority in receiving new
technology and steel for warship construction, tanks for
the IJA were relegated to receiving what was left.* [37]
By 1942, Japanese armor remained largely the same as it
did in the 1930s, and new tank development stymied
.* [28] The Type 95 was also used by Imperial Japanese
Navy SNLF detachments in Pacic areas during the con-
ict.
4.4.1 Khalkhin Gol (Nomonhan) 1939
See also: Battles of Khalkhin Gol
Under the mistaken belief that the Red Army was retreat-
ing from the area of the Khalkhyn Gol river,* [38] the IJA
command in Manchuria transferred the 1st Tank Corps,
under the command of Lt. Gen. Yasuoka Masaomi to the
village of Nomonhan to cut o the retreating Soviets at
Khalkhyn Gol.* [39] After a two-day journey by rail, the
1st Tank Corps began unloading its 3th Tank Regiment
and 4th Tank Regiment from their trains at Arshaan in
Manchuria on 22 June 1939. While the 3rd Tank Reg-
iment was composed primarily of the nearly decade-old
Type 89 medium tanks, the 4th Tank Regiment, com-
manded by 48-year-old Col. Tamada Yoshio, consisted
of 35 Type 95 light tanks, eight Type 89s, and three Type
94 tankettes.* [40]
From the beginning of Soviet General Zhukov's assump-
tion of command at Nomonhan in June 1939,* [41] he
had deployed his BT-5 and BT-7 light tanks (Bystrokhod-
nyi tanks, meaning high-speed tank* [42]) and incor-
porated them into all of his combined artillery, infantry,
and armor attacks.* [43] Although in the same light tank
category as the Type 95, also with 3 man crews, and
similar dimensions, the BT tanks were nearly twice as
heavy, at 13.8 tons* [42] but were highly susceptible to
close-quarter (tank killer) teams* [44] using re bombs
(molotov cocktails* [45]); which was primarily due to
their gasoline engines.* [30]* [46] As such, Japanese tank
crews held a generally low opinion of the Soviet Army
tanks, but the BT tank's 45 mm gun was an altogether
dierent matter. With a velocity of over 2,000 feet per
second, Soviet tanks could penetrate the Japanese tanks at
a range of over 1,000 meters (the Type 95's 37 mm main
gun had a maximum eective range of less than 700 me-
ters* [17]); as one Type 95 tank ocer put it, "...no sooner
34 CHAPTER 4. TYPE 95 HA-GO

did we see the ash, then there would be a hole in our

tank! And the Russians were good shots too!"* [16]* [47]
On 2 July 1939, at approximately 18:10 hours (6:10
pm), Col. Tamada's 4th Tank Regiment of more mobile
Type 95 tanks* [48] took the lead in front of the medium
tanks of the 3rd Tank Regiment, as the 1st Tank Corps
launched its rst oensive against the Soviet forces at
Khalkhin Gol.* [49] While the 3rd Tank Regiment passed
through Soviet artillery re, becoming decisively engaged
by about 20:00 hours (8 pm) during their movement for-
ward, the 4th Tank Regiment, while avoiding Soviet ar-
tillery barrages had advanced in a southeast direction in-
stead of due south, engaging Russian forces southwest
of Uzuru pond* [50] Observing a Russian artillery bat-
tery between himself and his objective, a junction Type 95 Ha-Go tanks destroyed by an Australian 2 pounder gun
,* [51] Col. Tamada ordered an attack in the darkness. At in the Battle of Muar* [57]
about 23:00 hours (11 pm), the 4th Tank moved towards
their objective with about 6 meters between tanks and
30 meters between companies and platoons.* [52] Just af-
ter midnight, a thunderstorm struck, conveniently expos-
ing the Russian positions while at the same time mask-
ing the advancing 4th Tank Regiment. While at close
range, the lightning storm suddenly illuminated the ad-
vancing Type 95s, and the Soviet defense line immedi-
ately opened re with heavy machine guns, artillery, BT-
7 light tanks, and anti-tank guns.* [53] However, since the
range was so close, the Russian artillery could not de-
press their barrels low enough to hit the tanks, and their
shells ew wildly over the advancing tanks.* [54] At about
00:20 hours (12:20 am) Col. Tamada ordered the 4th
Tank Regiment to "charge", and by 02:00 hours his light
tanks had penetrated over 1,000 yards through Russian One of six Ha-Go tanks destroyed by an Australian 2 pounder
lines and knocked out 12 artillery guns.* [55] gun in the Battle of Muar. The escaping crew were killed by
allied infantry
Japanese losses consisted of one Type 95 light tank, one
ocer and one enlisted man killed and 8 wounded; the
4th Tank had expended approximately 1,100 37 mm and sault forces into taking Singapore by 15 February, and
129 57 mm tank shells, and 16,000 rounds of machine Corregidor by April 1942.* [59] By those standards, the
gun ammunition. After the action, the Soviet command Type 95 proved to be an extremely successful light tank
acknowledged that 1st Tank Corps armor had reached the during the early campaigns leading into mid 1942. Poor
Russian guns.* [56] planning on the part of the British Army* [60] resulted in
few to none of any type of armor in British Malaya or
4.4.2 British Malaya and Burma 1941 Burma in December 1941.* [61]

See also: Malayan Campaign and Burma Campaign

It should be considered that the United States mil-
itary had been operating in the Philippines since the
PhilippineAmerican War of 18991902 and Great
Britain had military bases in Singapore since at least
the 1840s; combined, they both had at least one hun-
dred years of "jungle warfare" experience between them,
which no doubt inuenced their beliefs thattanks could
not operate in those jungles.* [58] On the other hand, the
IJA had always been focused upon Russia and China, and
had never conducted major campaigns in jungle (tropi-
cal) regions.* [37] Facing impenetrable jungles, two ex-
perienced powerful armies, and lacking any combat jun-
gle experience themselves, the IJA Type 95s led the as-
4.4.3 America's rst clash of armor in
World War II
America's rst tank versus tank battle of World War II
occurred when Type 95 light tanks of the IJA 4th Tank
Regiment engaged a US Army tank platoon, consisting of
ve brand new M3 Stuart light tanks fromBcompany,
192nd Tank Battalion, on 22 December 1941; north of
Damortis during the retreat to the Bataan Peninsula in
1941.* [62] Both the M3 and Type 95 light tanks were
armed with a 37 mm gun, but the M3 was better armored,
with 32 mm (1 inches) thick turret sides,* [63] vs the
Type 95's 12 mm thick armor; however, based upon the
4.4. COMBAT HISTORY 35

Army's Ballistics Research Lab (BRL) which conducted

the rst large study of tank vs tank warfare in 1945, the
conclusion was that the single most important factor in
a tank duel was which side spotted the enemy rst, shot
rst, and hit rst.* [64] In this rst engagement the IJA re-
acted rst, destroying the lead M3 as it tried to leave the
road. The four remaining American tanks all suered
hits as they retreated.
On 6/7 June 1942, the Japanese 3rd Special Naval Land-
ing Forces (SNLF) landed on Kiska Island during the
Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands, part of to-
day's state of Alaska. The SNLF landing was reinforced Type 95 at Tarawa
by Type 95 light tanks from the IJAs 11th Tank Regi-
ment, which became the only enemy tanks to ever land on
North American soil.* [65] After the battle, two captured
Type 95s were transported to Aberdeen Proving Ground
in Maryland for study and evaluation; where they are on
display today (see the photo from the United States Army
Ordnance Museum).
Two Type 95 tanks were deployed to support the
Japanese landing at Milne Bay, in late August 1942.
Initially, the tanks proved successful against the lightly
armed Australian infantry, whose 'sticky bombs' failed to
stick due to the humidity. Although the tanks had proved
reliable in the tropical conditions of Malaya, they could
not handle the volume of mud caused by intense, almost
daily rainfall at Milne Bay. Both tanks were bogged down
and abandoned a few days after the landing.
Type 95 at Palau

4.4.4 10-year-old warhorse

The Type 95 rst began to show its vulnerability during

later battles against British/Commonwealth forces, where
in 1940, than the Type 95, it was the closest US tank
the tank's 37 mm gun could not penetrate the armor of in armament and armor to the Type 95 light tank; with
the British Matilda infantry tanks which were deployed25 mm (1)* [67] thick turret sides vs the 95's 12 mm
against them. The thin armor of the Type 95 made turret sides; and both tanks were equipped with 37 mm
it increasingly vulnerable, as Allied forces realized that
main guns. Several Type 95s were destroyed or captured
standard infantry weapons were capable of penetrating by the United States Army during the Battle of Biak in
the minimal armor around the engine block, and even 1944. As the tide of the war turned against Japan, the
its thickest armor was vulnerable to heavy machine gunType 95s were increasingly expended in banzai charges
re.* [37] By 1944, it was already known that the 10-year-
or were dug-in as pillboxes in static defense positions
in the Japanese-occupied islands. During the Battle of
old Type 95 light tank's repower was insucient to take
on the newest US tanks, such as the medium M4 Sher- Tarawa, seven entrenched Type 95s opposed American
man, or the M5 Stuart light tank, although the Type 95landings. More were destroyed on Parry Island and on
could still give the older M3 Stuart light tank a run for its
Eniwetok. On Saipan, Type 95s attacked the American
money at close range.* [61] Marine beachhead on 16 June 1944, and more were used
In August 1942, the US launched its rst counter- in the largest tank battle in the Pacic the following day.
oensive against Japan, when it landed US Marines on In the Battle of Guam on 21 July, ten Type 95s were lost
Guadalcanal. The US Marine Corps deployed its 1st to bazooka re or M4 tanks. Seven more were destroyed
Tank Battalion, which was equipped with the only M2A4 on Tinian on 24 July, and 15 more on Battle of Peleliu
light tanks to see combat with US forces during World on 15 September. Likewise, in the Philippines, at least
War II.* [66] The M2A4 was the foundation for the M3 ten Type 95s were destroyed in various engagements on
Stuart, and both vehicles were nearly identical when Leyte, and another 19 on Luzon. At the Battle of Ok-
viewed side by side; with the primary dierence being inawa, 13 Type 95s and 14 Type 97 Shinhoto medium
the rear idler wheel lowered to the ground on the M3. tanks of the 27th Tank Regiment faced 800 American
Although the M2A4 was newer by ve years, being built tanks.
36 CHAPTER 4. TYPE 95 HA-GO

4.4.5 China-Burma-India theater of oper-

ations

See also: Burma Campaign 1944

In 1942 the IJA pushed through Southeast Asia, through

Thailand and into Burma, and headed for India. Type
95 light tanks of the IJA 14th Tank Regiment led the
way. They engaged the M3 Stuarts of the British 7th Hus-
sars and 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, and as the British re-
treated towards India, the IJA ultimately resupplied their
destroyed Type 95's with somecaptured* [68] M3
tanks. By 1944, the 14th Tank Regiment was starving to
death due to British deep battle tactics of cutting the IJA's
The Australian War Memorial's Type 95 during restoration in
logistical lines; and a nal push by the IJA was stopped at 2012
Imphal, India.* [69]* [70]
In the Battle of Hukawng Valley, Japanese Type 95 tanks
of the 18th Division were joined by remnants of the 14th
tank division. They were attacked by the Chinese Army
in India's oensive from India but they were virtually an-
nihilated with the rest of the division as only 1700 out of
the 12000 strong Chrysanthemum division managed to
break out.* [71]
When the M4 Sherman became available for the British
to use in the North Africa campaign, they were able to
transfer their M3 Medium tanks to India and Burma.* [72]
The Type 95 was outclassed by these. When the war
ended, hundreds of Type 95s were left in China. They
were used during the Chinese Civil War. Type 95 on display at the Battery Randolf US Army Museum,
Honolulu, top rear view

4.4.6 Manchuria and the Kuril Islands

See also: SovietJapanese War (1945)

Although tank brigades equipped with the Type 95 were

present during the 1945 Soviet invasion of Manchuria,
the war ended before the Red Army had engaged their
main formations. The only use of the Type 95 in
any numbers against Soviet forces was at the Battle of
Shumshu during the Invasion of the Kuril Islands, when
shortly before the Japanese surrender had been nalized,
Type 95 Tank displays in front of Surasakmontree Army Camp,
they formed part of an armored force which unsuccess-
Lampang, Thailand, 2016
fully attacked the Soviet beach head, but was defeated by
their anti-tank guns.* [73]
The Tank Museum, Bovington, United Kingdom

Kubinka Tank Museum, Moscow, Russia

4.5 Survivors
Central Armed Forces Museum, Moscow, Russia
Although no surviving examples of the Type 95 light tank
United States Army Ordnance Museum, United
remain in Japan, a number have been preserved at muse-
States
ums around the world. In about 2007, the Oregon Mil-
itary Museum sponsored the complete reconstruction of Oregon Military Museum, United States
a Type 95 light tank. The tank is no longer operational
however as the original engine encountered mechanical National Armor & Cavalry Museum, Fort Benning,
issues and lost oil pressure during a test drive. United States
4.7. OPERATORS
U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii, United States
Indiana Military Museum, United States
Adisorn Cavalry Centre, Saraburi, Thailand
Australian War Memorial, Australia (undergoing
restoration* [74]* [75])
Reserve Aairs Center, Thailand
Surasakmontree Army Camp, Lampang, Thailand
Cavalry Tank Museum, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra,
India* [76]
4.6 Japanese WWII units
equipped with Type 95 Ha-
G Itoh Detachment (Army Gr.)
Units equipped with Type 95 Ha-G:
1st Independent Mixed Brigade
4th Tank Regiment
1st Tank Regiment
6th Tank Regiment
7th Tank Regiment
2nd Tank Regiment
1st Company of 2nd Tank Regiment
14th Tank Regiment
1st Independent Tank Company
2nd Battalion of 1st Army Sea-mobile Brigade
Tank Company of 1st Army Sea-mobile Brigade
Tank Company of 222nd Infantry Regiment
9th Tank Regiment
Tank Unit of 18th Infantry Regiment
1st Company of 9th Tank Regiment
2nd Company of 9th Tank Regiment
Tank Unit of 29th Division
Tank Unit of 36th Division
Tank Unit of 14th Division
3rd Tank Division
7th Independent Tank Company
1st Independent Tank Company
37
2nd Independent Tank Company
1st Company of 4th Tank Regiment
3rd Company of 4th Tank Regiment
2nd Tank Division
26th Tank Regiment
27th Tank Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
Training Group of Kungchuling Army Tank School
of Kwantung Army.
Kamiyoshi Detachment
Shoji Detachment
Itoh SNLF Detachment (Navy Gr.)
Tank Platoon unit of Kure 5th SNLF
Tank Unit of Sasebo 7th SNLF
Makin Detachment of 3rd Naval Special Base Force
55th Armor Guard Unit of Yokosuka 1st SNLF
Kwajalein Armor Detachment of Sasebo 7th SNLF
4.7 Operators
Japan
Primary Operators.
Thailand
In 1940 the Thai army acquired approximately 50
Type 95s. A number of them spearheaded the Thai
invasion of Burma's Shan States during the Second
World War. In 1952 the tanks were decommis-
sioned.
Republic of China
Captured from the Japanese and used by National
Revolutionary Army in Chinese Civil War
People's Republic of China
38 CHAPTER 4. TYPE 95 HA-GO

The Chinese Red Army captured examples from [22] Tomczyk 2003, p. 30.
the National Revolutionary Army (in turn captured
[23] Zaloga 2007, p. 17.
from the Japanese) and received others captured by
the Soviet Union. They were used in the Chinese [24] History of War: Type 4 Ke-Nu
Civil War and the Korean War alongside the Type
97 Chi-Ha. [25] Takis Imperial Japanese Army: THE DEVELOPMENT
OF IMPERIAL JAPANESE TANKS, Self-Propelled
Guns
France
[26] Zaloga 2007, p. 20.

[27] Takis Imperial Japanese Army: Type 5 47mm SP Gun

Using left over Japanese equipment from the Ho-Ru
Japanese invasion of French Indochina, an ad hoc
unit of French and Japanese armour was set up [28] Zaloga 2007, p. 3.
called the 'Commando Blind du Cambodge' and
[29] Coox 1985, pp. 437, 993.
participated in the early stages of the First Indochina
War.* [77] [30] Goldman p. 123

[31] Zaloga (M3/M5 Stuart) p. 40

4.8 Notes [32] Zaloga (Armored Thunderbolt) pp. 15, 16, 18

[33] Zaloga (M3/M5 Stuart) p. chart D

[1] Zaloga 2007, pp. 10, 17.
[34] Zaloga (M3/M5 Stuart) p. 41
[2] Tomczyk 2002, p. 74.
[35] Zaloga 2007, p. 12.
[3] Zaloga 2007, p. chart D.
[36] Zaloga 2007, pp. 16, 18.
[4] Tomczyk 2002, p. 67.
[37] Zaloga 2007, p. 15.
[5] Tomczyk 2002, p. 64.
[38] Coox 1985, pp. 287, 353, 368, 369.
[6] Zaloga (Armored Thunderbolt), pp. 16, 18
[39] Coox 1985, p. 353.
[7] Hara Armour in Prole

[8] Hara [40] Coox 1985, p. 350.

[9] Zaloga 2007, pp. 9, 10. [41] Coox 1985, p. 251.

[10] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 64, 66. [42] Coox 1985, p. 641, notation #23.

[11] Tomczyk 2002, pp. 67, 74. [43] Coox 1985, p. 1089.

[12] Type 95 Ha-Go5, Type 95 Ke-Go5, Type 3 Ke-Ri, Type [44] Coox 1985, p. 318.
4 Ke-Nu, Type 5 Ke-Ho. WWII Vehicles.com. [45] Coox & 1985 309.
[13] US Department of War, Japanese Tank and Anti-Tank [46] Coox 1985, p. 437.
Warfare. United States Government Printing Oce.
Washington D.C., p. 80. [47] Coox 1985, p. 362.
[14] U.S. War Department Japanese Light Tank Tactical [48] Coox 1985, p. 370.
and Technical Trends, No. 31, August 12, 1943.
[49] Coox 1985, p. 371.
[15] History of War: Type 95 Ha-Go Light Tank
[50] Coox 1985, p. 381.
[16] War Department, TM-E 30-480 pp. IX-183, 184
[51] Coox 1985, p. 383.
[17] Coox 1985, p. 433.
[52] Coox 1985, p. 385.
[18] Zaloga (II) 2008, p. 24.
[53] Coox 1985, p. 394.
[19] Takis Imperial Japanese Army: Type 95 Armored Rail-
road Car So-Ki [54] Coox 1985, p. 386.

[20] Zaloga 2007, p. 23. [55] Coox 1985, p. 387.

[21] Tomczyk 2003, pp. 29, 30. [56] Coox 1985, p. 395.
4.10. EXTERNAL LINKS 39

[57] Horner, David (1995).The Gunners: A History of Aus- Hara, Tomio (1973). Japanese Combat Cars, Light
tralian Artillery. Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Tanks, and Tankettes. AFV Weapons Prole No.
Indies Campaign 19411942. 54. Prole Publications Limited.
[58] Zaloga 2007, pp. 15, 17. Hunnicutt, Richard (1992). Stuart, A history of the
[59] Zaloga 2007, pp. 16, 17. American Light Tank Volume 1. Novato, California:
Presidio Press. ISBN 0-89141-462-2.
[60] Zaloga 2007, pp. 15, 16.
Handbook on Japanese Military Forces, TM-E 30-
[61] Foss, The Great Book of Tanks 480 (1945). TM-E 30-480. War Department.
[62] Hunnicutt (Stuart) p. 395 Tomczyk, Andrzej (2002). Japanese Armor Vol. 1.
[63] Hunnicutt (Stuart) p. 478 AJ Press. ISBN 83-7237-097-4.

[64] Zaloga (Armored Thunderbolt) pp. 229, 230
[65] Zaloga 2007, p. 17, photo caption.
[66] Zaloga (M3/M5 Stuart) p. 15
[67] Hunnicutt (Stuart) p. 475
Tomczyk, Andrzej (2003). Japanese Armor Vol. 3.
AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371287.
Zaloga, Steven J. (1999). M3 & M5 Stuart Light
Tank 194045. Osprey. ISBN 978-1-85532-911-
9.

[68] Hunnicutt states that the British M3s were destroyed (to
prevent enemy use) during the British retreat, however the
photo on page 397 shows them intact. Likewise, Zaloga
states that some were ultimatelyre-usedby the enemy.
[69] Hunnicutt (Stuart) p. 396
[70] Zaloga 2007, p. 40.
[71] http://www.1937china.com/xsyj/xsdt/20131120/16955.
shtml
Zaloga, Steven J. (2007). Japanese Tanks 193945.
Osprey. ISBN 978-1-8460-3091-8.
Zaloga, Steven J. (2008). Armored Thunderbolt, the
US Army Sherman in World War II. Mechanicsville,
PA (USA): Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-
0424-3.
Zaloga (II), Steven J. (2008). Armored Trains. Os-
prey. ISBN 978-1-8460-3242-4.

[72] Zaloga (Armored Thunderbolt) pp. 30, 31

[73] Zaloga 2007, p. 41. 4.10 External links

[74] History of War: Type 95 Ha-Go Light Tank
[75] https://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2011/02/10/ Taki's Imperial Japanese Army Page: Type 95 Light
japanese-ha-go-tank-conservation-part-two/
Tank Ha-Go
[76] Museum-Inventory
wwiivehicles.com: Japan's Type 95 Ha-Go, Type 95
[77] Dunstan, Vietnam Tracks: Armor in Battle 1945-1975, Ke-Go, Type 3 Ke-Ri, Type 4 Ke-Nu, Type 5 Ke-
pp 1011 Ho light tanks

4.9 References
Coox, Alvin D. (1985). Nomonhan; Japan Against
Russia, 1939 (Two volumes). Stanford, California:
Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-1160-7.

Foss, Christopher (2003). Great Book of Tanks: The

World's Most Important Tanks from World War I to
the Present Day. Zenith Press. ISBN 0-7603-1475-
6.

Foss, Christopher (2003). Tanks: The 500. Crest-

line. ISBN 0-7603-1500-0.

Goldman, Stuart D. (2012). Nomonhan, 1939; The

Red Army's Victory That Shaped World War II.
Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-329-1.
Chapter 5

Type 98 Ke-Ni

The Type 98 light tank Ke-Ni ( of bogies with six road-wheels connected to the chas-
Kyuhachi-shiki keisensha Ke-Ni) or Type 98A Ke-Ni Ko
(also known as Type 98 Chi-Ni light tank* [2]) was de-
signed to replace the Imperial Japanese Army's Type 95
Ha-Go light tank, Japan's most numerous armored ght-
ing vehicle during World War II. Although designed be-
fore World War II, production did not start until 1942,
with 104 being produced by the end of the war.* [1]
sis using bell cranks, which transferred any movement
in the bogies into sideways motion that was absorbed by
springs.* [2]
In contrast to the one-man turret of Type 95, the Type 98
had a two-man turret, which oered more room for the
gunner/commander and carried a Type 100 37 mm tank
gun, with a muzzle velocity of 760 m/s, and also a coaxial
7.7 mm machine gun.* [2]* [3]

5.1 History and development

5.3 Variants
The Type 98 developed in 1938 was a light tank with the
same weight as the earlier Type 95, but with thicker ar-
mor. The prototype of the new Type 98 tank was com-
pleted by Hino Motors,* [3] but it did not enter production
at the time. This can be attributed to the adequate per-
formance of the aging Type 95 against obsolete tanks of
National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China
forces.* [4]
With the start of World War II, the Imperial Japanese
Army General Sta quickly realized that the Type 95 de-
sign was vulnerable to .50 caliber machine gun re and
attempted to develop a light tank with the same weight
as the Type 95, but with thicker armor.* [3] A production
contract for the Type 98 was awarded to Hino Motors.
*
Serious production began in 1942. A total of 104 Type The experimental Type 98B developed by Mitsubishi [6]
98s are known to have been built: 1 in 1941, 24 in 1942
and 79 in 1943.* [1] By the end of the war, the Imperial
Type 98B Ke-Ni Otsu (
Navy had priority on steel for warships and aircraft con-
Kyuhachi-shiki keisensha (Otsu-gata))
struction, leaving the Imperial Japanese Army at a low
*
priority for raw material to build tanks. [5]
A Mitsubishi-designed alternative to the stan-
dard model made by Hino.* [2] The most dis-
tinct feature was the suspension with four large
5.2 Design road-wheels supported by side-ways facing coil
springs, in a manner similar to Christie suspen-
The design of the Type 98, in comparison to the Type sion. It was an experimental model, never ac-
95, featured thicker, welded armor of improved shape, cepted for production.* [2]
including the use of a Mitsubishi Type 100 6-Cylinder
air-cooled diesel engine, rated at 130 horsepower, and Type 2 Ke-To
located sideways to make maintenance easier. Slightly
lighter and shorter than the original Type 95, it could An improvement of the Type 98A version,* [3]
travel at 50 km/h even with its thicker armor. Three pairs tted with the more powerful Type 1 37 mm

40
5.6. EXTERNAL LINKS 41

gun featuring a muzzle velocity of 800 m/s.* [7] 5.6 External links
The new 37 mm gun used gave the tank
slightly better performance.* [3] The Type History of War: Type 98 Chini Light Tank
2 Ke-To went into production in 19441945
with 34 tanks built.* [8] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army Page: Type 98 Light
Tank Ke-Ni
Type 98 Ta-Se 20 mm anti-aircraft tank

In November 1941, development began on an

anti-aircraft version of the Type 98 with a 20
mm AA gun converted from a Type 98 20 mm
autocannon in a circumferential turret.* [9] The
single prototype was designated Type 98 Ta-
Se,* [9] for Taik (anti-air) sensha (tank
). There was also a prototype built with twin 20
mm AA guns also converted from the Type 98
20 mm autocannon.* [9] It was known as the
Type 98 20 mm AAG Tank. During trials it
was determined that the chassis was too small
to be a stablering platform.* [9] Therefore,
the project was canceled and neither tank was
put into production.* [9]

5.4 Notes
[1] Zaloga 2007, p. 17.

[2] History of War: Type 98 Chi-Ni Light Tank

[3] Zaloga 2007, p. 18.

[4] Zaloga 2007, p. 12.

[5] Zaloga 2007, pp. 3, 15.

[6] Skrzypacz, Marcin. Type 98B Mitsubishi. Encyklo-

pedia Uzbrojenia (in Polish). Archived from the original
on 2 February 2008. Retrieved 22 August 2011.

[7] History of War: Type 98 Type 2 Ke-To Light Tank

[8] Zaloga 2007, pp. 17, 18.

[9] Tomczyk 2007, p. 14.

5.5 References
Foss, Christopher (2003). Great Book of Tanks: The
World's Most Important Tanks from World War I to
the Present Day. Zenith Press. ISBN 0-7603-1475-
6.
Foss, Christopher (2003). Tanks: The 500. Crest-
line. ISBN 0-7603-1500-0.
Tomczyk, Andrzej (2007). Japanese Armor Vol. 5.
AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371799.
Zaloga, Steven J. (2007). Japanese Tanks 193945.
Osprey. ISBN 978-1-8460-3091-8.
Chapter 6

Type 3 Chi-Nu

Type 3 Medium Tank Chi-Nu ( San- American strategic bombing.* [5]

shiki ch-sensha Chi-nu) (Imperial Year 2603 Medium
tank Model 10) was a medium tank of the Imperial
Japanese Army in World War II. It was an improved ver-
sion of the Type 97 Chi-Ha, incorporating a Type 3 75
mm tank gun, one of the largest Japanese tank guns dur-
ing the war.
The Chi-Nu did not see combat during the war. All pro-
duced units were retained for the defence of the Japanese
Homeland in case of an Allied invasion.

6.1 History and development

At the outbreak of the Pacic War, the Type 97 Chi-Ha
and Type 95 Ha-Go designs comprised the mainstay of
the armored units of the Imperial Japanese Army. As
the war progressed, these tanks started to face signi-
cant challenges posed by Allied tanks. In the Burma and
Philippines Campaigns, the repower of the 57 mm can-
non mounted on the Type 97 was proven to be insucient
against Allied tanks. The Imperial Japanese Army there-
fore developed the Type 1 47 mm tank gun which had
higher armor penetrating power. This gun was mounted
on Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha and Type 1 Chi-He medium
tanks.
At the later stage of the war, large numbers of American
M4 Sherman tanks arrived at the front line and put new Type 3 Chi-Nu tank production line, 1945
pressure on Japanese armored forces. The Imperial Gen-
eral Headquarters ( Daihon'ei) decided to develop A total of 144 to 166 units were produced by the war's
a new tank to counter the enemy threat as well as a re- end.* [1]* [2] The Type 3 Chi-Nu was the last tank that
placement for the Type 97 and Type 95. was elded by the Imperial Japanese armed forces, and
was still in production at the end of the war.* [4]
The Army Technical Bureau had been working on the
Type 4 Chi-To medium tank as the counter to the M4
Sherman, but there were problems and delays in the pro-
gram. As a result a stopgap tank was required. The Type
6.2 Design
3 medium tank Chi-Nu was developed to cope with the
M4 Sherman.* [4] Work on the Type 3 Chi-Nu started in 6.2.1 Armor and Protection
May 1943 and was nished by October. The low prior-
ity given to tank production by 1943 meant that the Type The Type 3 Chi-Nu retained the same chassis and
3 did not actually enter production until 1944, by which suspension of the Type 1 Chi-He, but with the addition
time raw materials were in very short supply, and much of an enlarged turret ring for the large new hexagonal gun
of Japan's industrial infrastructure had been destroyed by turret with a commander's cupola.* [6]* [7] It was the last

42
6.4. VARIANTS 43

Side view of Type 3 Chi-Nu

design that based directly on Type 97 lineage.* [8]

IJA 4th Tank Division with Type 3 Chi-Nu tanks

before that invasion, the Type 3 was never used in com-

bat.* [13] The 4th Tank Division based in Fukuoka on
Kyushu had a signicantnumber of the Type 3 tanks
which had been produced at its depot by the end of the
war.* [14]
One surviving Type 3 medium tank is on display at
the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Military Ordnance
Training School at Tsuchiura, Ibaraki, Japan.

Type 3 Chi-Nu during assembly process, showing its transmission

and partially installed controls 6.4 Variants

Type 3 Chi-Nu Kai prototype

6.2.2 Armament
One Chi-Nu was armed with the Type 5 75 mm
The main armament of the Type 3 Chi-Nu was the 75 tank gun (L/56.4) and a Type 4 Chi-To turret.
mm Type 3 tank gun. The gun could be elevated between The test was successful.* [15]
10 and +25 degrees. Firing a shell at a muzzle velocity
of 680 m/s (2,200 ft/s) it gave an armor penetration of
90 mm (3.5 in) at 100 m (110 yd) and 65 mm (2.6 in)
at 1,000 m (1,100 yd).* [9]* [10] Later APHE shells (695
m/s) were available giving the gun 100 mm (3.9 in) of
penetration at 500 m.

6.2.3 Mobility

The Chi-Nu used a lever system rather than a handle sys-

tem. It had the same engine as the Chi-He, producing
240 hp and a top speed of 38.8 Kph.* [11]

6.3 Service record Type 3 Chi-Nu in 1945

The Type 3 was allocated to the Japanese home islands to

defend against the projected Allied Invasion. They were
to be part of the Mobile Shock Forceto be used for 6.5 See also
counter-attacks.* [12] As the surrender of Japan occurred
44 CHAPTER 6. TYPE 3 CHI-NU

6.5.1 Tanks of comparable role, perfor- 6.7 References

mance, and era
Foss, Christopher (2003). Great Book of Tanks: The
Australian Sentinel World's Most Important Tanks from World War I to
the Present Day. Zenith Press. ISBN 0-7603-1475-
British Cromwell 6.
Foss, Christopher (2003). Tanks: The 500. Crest-
Canadian Ram II line. ISBN 0-7603-1500-0.

German Panzer IV Hara, Tomio (1972). Japanese Medium Tanks.

AFV Weapons Proles No. 49.
Hungarian Turn III Rottman, Gordon L.; Takizawa, Akira (2008).
World War II Japanese Tank Tactics. Osprey Pub-
Italian Carro Armato P 40 lishing. ISBN 978-1846032349.

Soviet T-34 Tomczyk, Andrzej (2005). Japanese Armor Vol. 4.

AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371676.
Swedish Stridsvagn m/42 Zaloga, Steven J. (2007). Japanese Tanks 193945.
Osprey. ISBN 978-1-8460-3091-8.
United States M4 Sherman

6.8 External links

6.6 Notes
Taki's Imperial Japanese Army Page - Akira Tak-
izawa
[1] Zaloga 2007, p. 22.
History of War.org
[2] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Type 3 Chi-Nu Retrieved
29 September 2015.

[3] Hara 1972, p. 18

[4] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Tanks after Chi-Ha

Retrieved 2 May 2016.

[5] Tomczyk 2005, p. 3.

[6] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 3, 32.

[7] Hara 1972, p. 18

[8] Zaloga 2007, pp. 17, 21.

[9] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 3, 5.

[10] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Tank GunsType 3

75mm Tank Gun

[11] For the Record: Type 3 Chi-Nu Retrieved 3 October 2014

[12] Rottman & Takizawa 2008, p. 16.

[13] Zaloga 2007, pp. 21, 22.

[14] Tomczyk 2005, p. 15.

[15] For the Record: Type 3 Chi-Nu Retrieved 3 October 2014

Chapter 7

Type 5 Chi-Ri

The Type 5 medium tank Chi-Ri ( stead of the seven of the Chi-To. It had the usual Japanese
Go-shiki chusensha Chi-ri) (Imperial Year 2605 track arrangement with forward mounted drive sprockets
Medium Tank Model 9) was the ultimate medium tank and rear mounted idlers. The Type 5 Chi-Ri had sloped
developed by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War welded armor, with a maximum thickness of 75 mm at
II. Intended to be a heavier, more powerful version of the front hull; 2550 mm on the side; 50 mm on the rear
Japan's sophisticated Type 4 Chi-To medium tank, in and 50 mm on the turret.* [1]* [6]
performance it was designed to surpass the US M4 Sher- The Type 5 Chi-Ri was initially to be powered by a Mit-
man medium tanks being elded by the Allied forces. A
subishi Diesel engine, but the advancements needed to
single prototype was incomplete when the war ended. provide the necessary horsepower fell behind schedule,
and an 800 hp V-12 gasoline-fueled aircraft engine de-
signed by BMW in Germany and licensed to Kawasaki
7.1 History and development Heavy Industries in Japan was selected instead. The
Kawasaki Type 98 800 HP engine Ha-9-IIbwas de-
tuned for the tank to 550 hp.* [6]* [7]
Based on battleeld information from the Eastern Front,
Department of Arm Weaponry published a report de-
manding a shift of tank design focus from Infantry tank
to tanks specialised for anti-tank missions. The Army's
requirements for the new medium tanks were an increase
of weight from 20 tonnes to 35 tonnes and an armour up-
grade from 50 mm to 75 mm. The new tank would be
mounted with a new 75 mm gun instead of the previous
57 mm anti-tank gun. Production focus would also pri-
oritise quality over quantity. The new medium tank was
designated as Type 5 Medium Tank Chi-Ri (
).* [2]
A single unarmed prototype of the Type 5 Chi-Ri was
completed by May 1945. The project was abruptly aban-
doned to free up manpower and critical resources to con-
centrate on the development and production of the more Type 5 75 mm tank gun Mark I (semi-auto loader)
practical Type 4 Chi-To medium tank.* [3] As with many
The tank had a hexagonal gun turret and on the left side
innovative weapons projects launched by Japan in the
of the turret roof was a commander's cupola. In front of
nal years of World War II, production could not ad-
that was a crew hatch.* [8]
vance beyond either small numbers or the prototype stage
due to material shortages, and the loss of Japan's indus- Originally, the prototype tank was to be tted with the
trial infrastructure to the Allied bombing of Japan.* [4] It
same Type 5 75 mm tank gun (based on the Type 4 75
was the last tank developedby the Imperial Japanese mm AA Gun) used on the Type 4 Chi-To.* [7] However,
Army.* [5] eventually an 88 mm gun (based on the Type 99 88 mm
AA Gun) was planned for the main turret gun; a sec-
ondary weapon of a front hull-mounted Type 1 37 mm
tank gun was tted in the position normally taken by a
7.2 Design machine gun.* [1]* [3] Alternatively, the design called for
using two Type 97 heavy tank machine guns in place of
The Type 5 Chi-Ri featured a lengthened version of the the front hull-mounted Type 1 37 mm tank gun.* [1]* [5]
Type 4 Chi-To chassis, with eight road wheels per side in- Accordingly to another source, the design called for a ball

45
46
mount for a Type 97 machine gun on the left side of the
turret for use in close combat situations.* [6] There were
also plans for a Type 5 Chi-Ri II, to be diesel powered
and using the Type 5 75 mm tank gun as its main arma-
ment.* [9]
7.3 Service
As with the Type 4 Chi-To medium tanks, the Type 5
Chi-Ri tanks were chosen for the nal defenses of the
Japanese home islands against the expected Allied inva-
sions. However, only the one unarmed prototype had
been completed by the time the war in the Pacic came
to an end.* [3]
The single prototype Type 5 was seized by American
forces during the occupation of Japan and earmarked for
tests at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds.* [10] However, its
subsequent fate is unknown.
7.4 Variants
Experimental Type 5 gun tank Ho-Ri I mock-up scale model
Experimental 105 mm tank gun
Ho-Ri tank destroyer
The Ho-Ri I was a more powerful tank destroyer (gun
tank) using a 105 mm cannon in place of the 75 mm gun
design and an additional 37 mm gun in the front armored
plate. The armor was to be 30 mm thick and it was to
CHAPTER 7. TYPE 5 CHI-RI
have a crew of six. It was to use the Type 5 Chi-Ri tank
chassis. The superstructure for the main gun was placed
at the rear and the engine was positioned in the center
area of the chassis; similar in design to the German Fer-
dinand/Elefant heavy tank destroyer.* [11] Another ver-
sion was to have a twin 25 mm anti-aircraft gun on top of
the rear superstructure in a swivel mount.* [12] No
prototypes were built.* [13]
Yet another version planned was the Ho-Ri II heavy tank
destroyer. It was to use the Type 5 Chi-Ri tank chassis.
The boxy superstructure for the main gun was completely
integral with the hull's sides and placed at the center of the
chassis (similar in design to the German Jagdtiger). The
engine compartment was moved in the rear area of the
chassis. It also was to use a 105 mm cannon as its main
armament.* [14]
7.5 Notes
[1] Tomczyk 2005, p. 30.
[2] Chi-Ri - Imperial Japan's most advanced tank
[3] Zaloga 2007, p. 22.
[4] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 3, 5, 29.
[5] Takis Imperial Japanese Army: Type 5 Medium Tank
Chi-Ri
[6] History of War: Type 5 Chi-Ri Medium Tank
[7] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 29, 30.
[8] Tomczyk 2005, p. 46.
[9] Tomczyk 2005, p. 29.
[10] Tomczyk 2005, p. 23.
[11] Tomczyk 2007, pp. 10, 30.
[12] Tomczyk 2007, p. 32.
[13] Tomczyk 2007, p. 10.
[14] Tomczyk 2007, pp. 10, 3335.
7.6 References
Tomczyk, Andrzej (2005). Japanese Armor Vol. 4.
AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371676.
Tomczyk, Andrzej (2007). Japanese Armor Vol. 5.
AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371799.
Zaloga, Steven J. (2007). Japanese Tanks 193945.
Osprey. ISBN 978-1-8460-3091-8.
7.7. EXTERNAL LINKS 47

7.7 External links

History of War.org

Takis Imperial Japanese Army Page

Chapter 8

Type 97 Chi-Ha

The Type 97 Chi-Ha ( Kynana-

shiki ch-sensha Chi-ha) was a medium tank used by
the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-
Japanese War, the Battles of Khalkhin Gol against the
Soviet Union, and the Second World War. It was the
most widely produced Japanese medium tank of World
War II.* [5]
The 57 mm main gun, designed for infantry support, was
a carry over from the 1933 Type 89 medium tank. The
suspension was derived from the Type 95 Ha-Go light
tank, but used six road wheels instead of four.* [5] The
170 hp Mitsubishi air cooled diesel engine was a capable
tank engine in 1938.* [5]
The Type 97's low silhouette and semicircular radio an-
tenna on the turret distinguished the tank from its con-
temporaries. After 1941, the tank was less eective than
most Allied tank designs.* [6] In 1942, a new version of
the Chi-Ha was produced with a larger three-man turret,
and a high-velocity Type 1 47 mm tank gun. It was des- Type 97 Chi-Ha tanks during a night training exercise
ignated the Type 97-Kai or Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha.
the more capable and expensive Mitsubishi Chi-Ha model
was accepted as the new Type 97 medium tank by the
8.1 History and development army.* [5]

With the Type 89 Chi-Ro fast becoming obsolete in the

late 1930s, the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) began a 8.2 Japanese tank designations
program to develop a replacement tank for infantry sup-
port. Experience during the invasion of Manchuria de- Chi () came from Ch-sensha ( ,
termined that the Type 89 was too slow to keep up with medium tank).* [6] Ha and Ni, in Japanese army
motorized infantry.* [7] The new medium tank was in- nomenclature, refer to model number 3 and 4, respec-
tended to be a scaled-up four-man version of the Type 95 tively* [6] from old Japanese alphabet iroha. The Type
Ha-Go light tank, although with a two-man turret, thicker was numbered 97 as an abbreviation of the imperial year
armor, and more power to maintain performance.* [8] 2597, corresponding to the year 1937 in the standard
Gregorian calendar.* [6] Therefore, the name Type 97
The Tokyo factory of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries com-
Chi-Ha" could be translated as 1937's medium tank
pleted a prototype designated Chi-Ha. The second proto-
model 3.* [6]
type was completed in June 1937. Although the require-
ment was for a 47 mm gun, it retained the same short-
barreled 57 mm gun as the Type 89B tank. However, at
the time IJA was also interested in the lighter and less ex- 8.3 Design
pensive Chi-Ni prototype proposed by Osaka Army Ar-
senal which had the same 57 mm gun.* [5] With the out- The Type 97 hull was of riveted construction with the
break of the Second Sino-Japanese War on 7 July 1937, engine in the rear compartment. The tank had a four-man
the peacetime budgetary limitations were removed and crew including a driver, bow machine-gunner, and two

48
8.4. PRODUCTION 49

Type 97 ShinHoTo Chi-Ha

Type 97 Chi-Ha tank radio operator and vehicle Radio Set Type
96 Mark 4 Bo.
higher muzzle velocity, resulting in armor penetration su-
*
men in the turret. [8] In the forward compartment, the perior to that of the 57 mm gun.* [16] The new version,
driver sat on the right, and bow gunner on the left.* [9] The designated Type 97-Kai (improved) or Shinhoto Chi-
commander's cupola was placed atop the turret. Internal Ha (new turretChi-Ha), used the 47 mm main gun in
communications were by 12 push buttons in the turret, its new, larger three-man turret. It replaced the original
connected to 12 lights and a buzzer near the driver.* [9] model in production in 1942. In addition about 300
of the Type 97 tanks with the older model turret and 57
The Type 97 was initially equipped with a Type 97 57 mm main gun were converted.* [3]
mm main gun, the same caliber as that used for the ear-
lier Type 89 I-Go tank. The cannon was a short-barreled
weapon with a relatively low muzzle velocity, but su-
cient as the tank was intended primarily for infantry sup- 8.4 Production
port.* [10] The main gun had no elevation gear, therefore,
the gunner used his shoulder to elevate it.* [11] The Type 97 medium tank was manufactured by
The tank carried two 7.7 mm Type 97 machine guns, one Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Hitachi Industries, as
on the front left of the hull and the other in a ball mount well as some limited production in the Army's Sagami
on the rear of the turret.* [12] The turret was capable of Arsenal. The number of Type 97 medium tanks pro-
full 360-degree traverse, but the main gun was in asemi- duced was slightly lower than of the Type 95 Ha-Go light
exible mountallowing a maximum 10-degree traverse tanks, *but larger than any other tank elded by Empire of
independently of the turret.* [13] Japan. [2] The following number of units were produced
for the years 1938 to 1943:
The thickest armor used was 25 mm on the gun mant- *
let and 15-25 mm on the hull front.* [4] Power was pro- Type 97 Chi-Ha tank [2] (57 mm gun):
vided by an air-cooled V-12 21.7 liter diesel Mit-
subishi SA12200VDengine, which provided 170 hp 1938: 110
(127 kW).* [4]
1939: 202

1940: 315
8.3.1 Development of the improved Shin-
hoto Chi-Ha 1941: 507

Main article: Type 97 ShinHoTo Chi-Ha 1942: 28

The shortcomings of the Type 97, with its low-velocity
57 mm gun, became clear during the 1939 Battles of Total: 1,162
*
Khalkhin Gol against the Soviet Union. [14] The 45 mm
gun of the Soviet BT-5 and BT-7 tanks* [15] out-ranged Type 97-Kai Shinhoto Chi-Ha tank* [2] (47 mm gun):
the Japanese tank gun, resulting in heavy Japanese losses.
This convinced the army of the need for a more power- 1942: 503
ful gun. Development of a new 47 mm weapon began in
1939 and was completed in 1941. The Type 1 47 mm 1943: 427
tank gun was designed specically to counter the Soviet
tanks.* [3] The 47 mm gun's longer barrel generated much Total: 930
50 CHAPTER 8. TYPE 97 CHI-HA

Total production of the 57 mm & 47 mm gun Type 97
medium tanks was 2,092. Although production peaked
in 1943 it was the last year any Type 97 was produced, as
factories switched to the new tank designs, most notably
the Type 1 Chi-He.* [17]
8.5 Further development
Type 3 Chi-Nu
The last design that based directly on Type 97 lineage was
the Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tank with a 75 mm main gun
of which 144 were built from 1944 to 1945.* [18] The
Type 3 Chi-Nu retained the same chassis and suspension
of the Type 97 based Type 1 Chi-He tank, but with
a large new hexagonal gun turret and a commander's
cupola.* [19] The Type 4 Chi-To was a separate design,
the last Japanese medium tank design to be completed
during the war, considered equivalent* [20] to the Ger-
man Panther tank, but with only two vehicles completed
by war's end. By the time, the Japanese industry had been 8.6.2
badly crippled by the American bombing campaign; as a
result, few of these newer vehicles were ever built.
The IJA's need to supplement their tank units with ar-
tillery led to a need for self-propelled guns (SPGs). Sub-
sequently, the Type 97 chassis was utilized to manufac-
ture nearly a hundred SPGs, consisting primarily of 75
mm guns.* [21] Since the IJA's 1930's era tanks didn't
have the repower to penetrate the 1940s generation of
Allied armor, a need for tank destroyers arose, and exper-
iments ranging from 47 mm to 120 mm guns were con-
ducted.* [22] However, due to naval priorities, raw mate-
rials for any IJA production were limited.* [23]
able success, as the ill-equipped National Revolution-
ary Army of the Republic of China forces were lim-
ited to only three tank battalions consisting of British
exports of the Vickers, German Panzer Is, and Italian
CV33 tankettes.* [24] However, its rst real test in com-
bat against opposing armor came with the Battles of
Khalkhin Gol in July 1939 against the Soviet Union. The
IJA 1st Tank Groups consisting of the 3rd and 4th Tank
Regiments (Yasuoka Detachment) had been assigned to
the Nomonhan region, under the command of Lt. Gen-
eral Yasuoka Masaomi.* [25] Of the two regiments, only
the 3rd Tank Regiment had been supplemented with 4
of the new Type 97 medium tanks, of which one was
selected as the regimental commander's tank during the
Battles of Khalkhin Gol. During erce ghting against
the Red Army, in which the 3rd Tank Regiment was as-
saulting an objective ringed with strung coiled wire (pi-
ano wire),* [26] the regimental commander, LTC Yoshi-
maru Kiyotake's Type 97 tank had become entangled up
to its drive sprockets. Struggling to extract itself from
the tank trap, LTC Yoshimaru managed to move his tank
only about 40 yards rearward, when his machine became
stopped completely.* [27] Now exposed to Soviet defen-
sive positions, Yoshimaru's Type 97 was subjected to the
re of a dozen Soviet BT-7 tanks and anti-tank guns.* [27]
Soviet shells struck the tank's drive gear, hull, and the en-
gine area, causing the vehicle to erupt into ames. When
the re reached the tank ammunition, the tank exploded,
tearing o the turret and throwing it several feet away
from the hull.* [28] Only the tank's gunner survived un-
wounded, abandoning the tank prior to the explosion.
The 3rd Tank Regimental commander's body was recov-
ered after the battle.* [29]
World War II and beyond

Type 97 tanks used by the People's Liberation Army, moving into

8.6 Combat history the Chinese city of Shenyang in 1948.

From December 8, 1941 and in early 1942, during the

8.6.1 Wars against China and the Soviet Battle of Malaya and the Battle of Singapore, Type 97
Union tanks were used by the 3rd Tank Group's 1st, 6th and 14th
Tank Regiments under Lieutenant-General Yamashita's
The Type 97 was deployed in China in combat opera- Army. The 1st Tank Regiment was attached to IJA 5th
tions in the Second Sino-Japanese War with consider- Division, which was among the rst to land at Songkhla
8.8. OPERATORS 51

in southern Thailand. One of its medium tank companies 8.8 Operators

was the 3rd Tank Company under First Lieutenant Ya-
mane (ten Type 97 medium tanks and two Ha-Go light
tanks), forming part of Saeki Detachment. The company Empire of Japan
was in the vanguard of the attack.
One key to the Japanese success in Malaya was the un- Imperial Japanese Army
expected appearance of their tanks in areas where the
British did not believe tanks could be used. The wet Imperial Japanese Navy
jungle terrain did not turn out to be a decisive obstacle.
Later, the 2nd and 14th Tank Regiments participated in Special Naval Landing Forces
the Burma Campaign.
The Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha tanks were rst used in China
combat in the battle of Corregidor in 1942.* [30] The up-
dated 47 mm gun was easily capable of dealing with the
armor of the American M3 Stuart light tanks, although People's Liberation Army
it was only eective against the sides and rear of the M4
Sherman medium tank.* [31]
During the Battle of Saipan, 36 Type 97s of the 9th Tank 8.9 Survivors
Regiment, commanded by Colonel Tadashi Goshima
joined with Type 95s of the 136th Infantry Regiment
commanded by Colonel Yukimatsu Ogawa in an all-out
counterattack against the US 6th Marine Regiment. This
was one of the largest tank attacks mounted by Japan in
the Pacic Theater of Operations, and was stopped by
machine guns, mortars, bazookas, artillery, and naval gun
re. However, the Japanese Army seldom made major
armored attacks during the Pacic War, due to the limited
maneuvering areas that prevailed on islands in the South
Pacic ocean. Terrain dictated the battle, and IJA tanks
were emplaced in hull delade positions or even buried
up to their turrets.* [32]
At the nal Battle of Okinawa, 13 Type 95s and 14 Type
97 Shinhoto medium tanks of the 27th Tank Regiment Type 97 Chi-Ha, Great Patriotic War Museum, Russia (2014)
were grossly outnumbered by 800 American tanks.* [5]
The Japanese tanks were defeated in their counter-attacks
Restored examples of the Type 97 are on display at the
of May 4 and 5, 1945. Similar conditions repeated in
Yshkan Museum at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, and
the Kwantung Army's defense against the Soviet invasion
the Wakajishi Shrine in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka in Japan.
of Manchuria, although there was little tank-versus-tank
In Indonesia there is a Type-97 at the Brawijaya Museum
action. The Soviets captured 389 tanks.* [33]
in Malang. The wreck of a Type 97 was found buried
Some Japanese tanks remained in use, under new own- in the sand on the beach at Miura, Kanagawa in 2005.
ership, postwar during the Chinese Civil War. After the Preserved examples are at the People's Liberation Army
end of World War II, Type 97 and Type 1 Chi-He tanks Museum in Beijing, China and at the United States Army
captured by the Soviet Red Army were turned over to Ordnance Museum, Aberdeen, Maryland. Numerous ru-
the Communists Chinese army for use in the Chinese ined examples of the Type 97 can still be found on Saipan
Civil War. After victory, the Chinese People's Liberation and on the Kuril Islands.
Army continued to use them in their inventory.* [34]* [35]
The People's Liberation Army had a force of 349 tanks
in 1949, mainly Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go and Type 97
tanks.* [34]
8.10 See also
Development of Japanese tanks in World War II

8.7 Variants List of engines and weapons used on Japanese tanks

during World War II

Main article: List of Type 97 Chi-Ha variants List of Japanese armoured ghting vehicles of
World War II
52 CHAPTER 8. TYPE 97 CHI-HA

8.11 Notes 8.12 References

[1] Zaloga 2007, pp. 10, 14. Chant, Christopher. (1996). Armoured Fighting
Vehicles of the 20th Century, Tiger Books Interna-
[2] Zaloga 2007, pp. 10, 17.
tional, London.
[3] Zaloga 2007, p. 14.
Coox, Alvin D. (1985). Nomonhan; Japan Against
[4] Tomczyk 2007, p. 19. Russia, 1939 (Two volumes). Stanford, California:
Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-1160-7.
[5] Zaloga 2007, p. 11.

[6] History of War: Type 97 Chi-Ha Tank Foss, Christopher (2003). Great Book of Tanks: The
World's Most Important Tanks from World War I to
[7] Zaloga 2007, p. 8. the Present Day. Zenith Press. ISBN 0-7603-1475-
[8] Zaloga 2007, pp. 11, 12.
6.

[9] World War II vehicles website
[10] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: THE DEVELOP-
MENT OF IMPERIAL JAPANESE TANKS: Shin-
hoto Chi-Ha
[11] Tomczyk 2007, pp. 7, 8.
[12] Tomczyk 2007, pp. 19, 24.
Foss, Christopher (2003). Tanks: The 500. Crest-
line. ISBN 0-7603-1500-0.
Gander, Terry J. (1995). Jane's Tanks of World War
II. Harper Collins. ISBN 0-00-470847-4
Tomczyk, Andrzej (2007) [2002]. Japanese Armor
Vol. 2. AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371119.

[13] Tomczyk 2007, p. 7. Tomczyk, Andrzej (2005). Japanese Armor Vol. 4.

AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371676.
[14] Zaloga 2007, pp. 13, 14.
Zaloga, Steven J. (2007). Japanese Tanks 193945.
[15] Coox 1985, p. 437. Osprey. ISBN 978-1-8460-3091-8.
[16] Tomczyk 2007, pp. 13, 15.

[17] Zaloga 2007, pp. 10, 17, 2021. 8.13 External links
[18] Zaloga 2007, pp. 17, 21.
Imperial Japanese Army Page - Akira Takizawa
[19] Tomczyk 2005, p. 3.
The Most Eective Jap Tank- Intelligence Bul-
[20] Zaloga 2007, p. 22.
letin, July 1945
[21] Zaloga 2007, pp. 17, 19.
History of War.org
[22] Zaloga 2007, pp. 19, 20.

[23] Zaloga 2007, pp. 3, 15.

[24] Zaloga 2007, p. 12.

[25] Coox 1985, p. 1119.

[26] Coox 1985, p. 396.

[27] Coox 1985, p. 401.

[28] Coox 1985, p. 797 (photo).

[29] Foss, Great Book of Tanks

[30] Zaloga 2007, p. 16.

[31] Tomczyk 2005, p. 61.

[32] The Most Eective Jap Tank- Intelligence Bulletin,

July 1945

[33] Zaloga 2007, pp. 11, 41.

[34] Zaloga 2007, p. 42.

[35] Tomczyk 2007, pp. 19, 22.

Chapter 9

Type 4 Chi-To

The Type 4 medium tank Chi-To (

Yonshiki chsensha Chi-To) (Imperial Year 2604
Medium Tank Model 7) was one of several medium
tanks developed by the Imperial Japanese Army towards
the end of World War II. While by far the most advanced
Japanese wartime tank to reach production, industrial and
material shortages resulted in only six chassis being man-
ufactured; only two of these were completed with neither
seeing combat.* [2]

Type 4 prototype, with turret reversed

9.1 Design

Interior side view of planned production model

Type 4 prototype, with turret reversed

(9 ft 5 in) wide.* [1] Main armament was a turret-mounted

Type 5 75 mm tank gun Mark I
The Type 4 Chi-To was a thirty-ton, all-welded medium
tank with a maximum armor thickness of 75 mm (3.0 in)
on the frontal plates.* [2] Manned by a crew of ve, it was
6.42 m (21.1 ft) long, 2.87 m (9 ft 5 in) high, and 2.87 m
long-barreled (4.23 m) Type 5 75 mm tank gun capa-
ble of being elevated between 6.5 to +20 degrees. An
850 metres per second (2,800 ft/s) muzzle velocity gave
it an armor penetration of 75 millimeters at 1,000 me-
ters.* [3]* [4] Firing a 6.62 kg AP shell at a muzzle veloc-
ity of 821 m/s (2,690 ft/s) gave it an armor penetration of
200 mm of steel plate at 100 m according to the Japanese
tests. A single 7.7 mm machine gun was mounted in the
hull.* [5]
The Type 4's 400 hp (300 kW) gasoline engine was sig-
nicantly more powerful than the 180 kW (240 hp) en-
gine of the 19-ton Type 3 Chi-Nu,* [6] giving it a top
speed of 45 km/h (28 mph) on tracks supported by seven
road wheels. The tank had a range of 250 km.* [7]

53
54 CHAPTER 9. TYPE 4 CHI-TO

9.2 Development 9.5 References

Development of the Type 4 Chi-To began in 1943 as
an intended successor to the Type 97-Kai Shinhoto Chi-
Ha. The Army Technical Bureau had been working on
the Type 4 Chi-To as the counter to the M4 Sherman,
but there were problems and delays in the program. As
a result a stopgap tank was required. The Type 3 Chi-
Nu medium tank was developed to cope with the M4
Sherman.* [8] Finally, the rst prototype Type 4 Chi-To
was delivered in 1944. Similar in appearance but signif-
icantly larger than the Type 97, it was the most advanced
Japanese tank to reach production.* [2]
Intended Type 4 Chi-To output was 25 tanks per month
spread over two Mitsubishi Heavy Industries factories.
Late war shortage-induced delays caused by the sever-
ing of supply lines with conquered territories and U.S.
strategic bombing of the Japanese mainland resulted in
only six chassis being built by 1945. Just two tanks were
completed and neither saw combat.* [2]* [9]
At the end of World War II the two completed tanks
were dumped into Lake Hamana in Shizuoka Prefecture
to avoid capture by occupation forces. One was recov-
ered by the US Army, but the other was left in the lake.
In 2013 there were eorts to locate the remaining tank,
but it was not found.* [10]
Hara, Tomio (1972). Japanese Medium Tanks.
AFV Weapons Proles No. 49.
Miller, David (2000). The Illustrated Directory of
Tanks of the World. Zenith Imprint. ISBN 978-0-
7603-0892-9.
Tomczyk, Andrzej (2005). Japanese Armor Vol. 4.
AJ Press. ISBN 978-8372371676.
Zaloga, Steven J. (2007). Japanese Tanks 193945.
Osprey. ISBN 978-1-8460-3091-8.
9.6 Further reading
Foss, Christopher (2003). Great Book of Tanks: The
World's Most Important Tanks from World War I to
the Present Day. Zenith Press. ISBN 0-7603-1475-
6.
Foss, Christopher (2003). Tanks: The 500. Crest-
line. ISBN 0-7603-1500-0.
Gander, Terry J. (1995). Jane's Tanks of World War
II. Harper Collins. ISBN 0-00-470847-4

9.3 Variants 9.7 External links

Type 4 Chi-To (57mm) was the rst ever prototype
version, which later had its gun replaced with the
Type 5 75mm gun.
Media related to Type 4 Chi-To at Wikimedia Com-
mons
Taki's Imperial Japanese Army Page

9.4 Notes
[1] Tomczyk 2005, p. 30.

[2] Zaloga 2007, p. 22.

[3] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Tank Guns

[4] Hara 1972, p. 18

[5] Miller 2000, p. 187.

[6] Zaloga 2007, pp. 2022.

[7] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 20, 27, 30.

[8] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Tanks after Chi-Ha

[9] Tomczyk 2005, pp. 19, 22.

[10] Takagi, Shogo Lake Hamana searched for WWII sunken

tank April 17, 2013 The Japan Times Retrieved April 3,
2016
9.8. TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES 55

9.8 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

9.8.1 Text
Tanks in the Japanese Army Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanks_in_the_Japanese_Army?oldid=756180707 Contributors:
Davidcannon, Michael Devore, Rich Farmbrough, Lectonar, Denniss, Woohookitty, GnniX, Benlisquare, David R. Ingham, Nick-D, Hero-
stratus, Verne Equinox, Hmains, Chris the speller, Semi-Lobster, Iridescent, Cydebot, Monkeybait, Aldis90, Nick Number, DagosNavy,
CommonsDelinker, Natg 19, Takabeg, Yobot, AnomieBOT, LilHelpa, Jun Kayama, Mark Schierbecker, Dead Mary, Kierzek, Cnwilliams,
Nascar1996, DexDor, Merehap, John of Reading, AvicBot, Simbagraphix, Rigley, Hengistmate, Helpful Pixie Bot, The Banner Turbo,
Cyberbot II, Khazar2, Huji2013, CTMakerbot, Filedelinkerbot, LoudLizard, MusikBot and Anonymous: 28
Japanese tanks of World War II Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_tanks_of_World_War_II?oldid=756184350 Contrib-
utors: Davidcannon, Bobblewik, Kusunose, Darwinek, Pearle, Lectonar, Denniss, Pauli133, Galaxiaad, Woohookitty, GraemeLeggett,
MChew, Sus scrofa, Wavelength, GMan552, Nick-D, Crystallina, SmackBot, Korossyl, Yamaguchi , Hmains, Bluebot, The PIPE,
Evlekis, CmdrObot, Redlock, Richard Keatinge, Aldis90, Biruitorul, Doyley, DPdH, DagosNavy, Parsecboy, Torb37, KConWiki,
Mrg3105, Master of the Orchalcos, Bpeps, Carlsbat, Staygyro, MatthewVanitas, Addbot, LaaknorBot, Citation bot, LilHelpa, Ootsuka02,
Anotherclown, Mark Schierbecker, AustralianRupert, Gonzolito, Dead Mary, Kierzek, AvicBot, Simbagraphix, , ClueBot NG, Hengist-
mate, Cyberbot II, Kbog, 93, Huji2013, Eurodyne, MusikBot, Ulstaanliku, AV98Ingram, Type2605 and Anonymous: 50
Type 89 I-Go Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_89_I-Go?oldid=758022127 Contributors: Woohookitty, GraemeLeggett,
BD2412, MChew, Chobot, Benlisquare, Sus scrofa, RussBot, Malcolma, MSJapan, Nikkimaria, Attilios, Herostratus, Srnec, Hmains,
Chris the speller, Hibernian, MJCdetroit, Semi-Lobster, Wilhelm Wiesel, Daiyounger, Alaibot, Aldis90, PKT, JAnDbot, KConWiki, Bil-
Cat, R'n'B, Der Leiter, Hookoo, Pmarshal, Dreamafter, Drhoehl, DragonBot, Sa, Sturmvogel 66, Tabunoki~enwiki, Anticipation of a
New Lover's Arrival, The, Addbot, Luckas-bot, Yobot, AnomieBOT, Citation bot, ArthurBot, Xqbot, Amendola90, FrescoBot, Kierzek,
Seibun, Jonesey95, RedBot, MastiBot, Phoenix and Winslow, Ripchip Bot, EmausBot, AvicBot, Snotbot, Braincricket, Helpful Pixie Bot,
BG19bot, Aisteco, Kbog, Saehry, Huji2013, Dbanaga, Riptidemtmte and Anonymous: 31
Type 95 Ha-Go Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_95_Ha-Go?oldid=761983141 Contributors: Raul654, Robbot, Altenmann,
Yosri, Bobblewik, Chowbok, Klemen Kocjancic, RossPatterson, Xezbeth, LordHarris, Russ3Z, Bukvoed, Denniss, Hohum, LordAmeth,
Alai, Recury, Adrian.benko, Woohookitty, GraemeLeggett, BD2412, Rjwilmsi, MChew, FlaBot, SchuminWeb, Gurch, Sus scrofa, Yurik-
Bot, Wavelength, RussBot, Manxruler, Megapixie, Grakm fr, Jecowa, CWenger, Nick-D, SmackBot, Herostratus, DMorpheus, Ohnoit-
sjamie, Hmains, Chris the speller, Colonies Chris, Rcbutcher, Trekphiler, Thomasyen, Ryan Roos, Semi-Lobster, Daishokaioshin, Val-
fontis, AllStarZ, ShakingSpirit, Clarityend, CmdrObot, Mak Thorpe, Andkore, Cydebot, Thijs!bot, Epbr123, Kubanczyk, A1064, Nick
Number, VonZehle, JAnDbot, CombatWombat42, Kirrages, Parsecboy, Torb37, KConWiki, BilCat, ColorOfSuering, R'n'B, Commons-
Delinker, Der Leiter, Antarctica moon, Wolcott, Toddy1, Philip Trueman, TXiKiBoT, Yorkist, AlleborgoBot, Noveltyghost, Lucasbfrbot,
Drhoehl, Thirteen squared, Newm30, ClueBot, RobertLunaIII, VQuakr, StigBot, Vycheslav Ryzhenkov, Alexbot, PixelBot, NuclearWar-
fare, Tabunoki~enwiki, SchreiberBike, Staygyro, Eik Corell, Alansplodge, Addbot, Hawaiian007, Ferroequus, LinkFA-Bot, Delta 51,
Luckas-bot, Yobot, Kadrun, AnomieBOT, Ulric1313, Materialscientist, Citation bot, ArthurBot, LilHelpa, Xqbot, Mark Schierbecker,
Z3144228, Alexandre loichon, FrescoBot, Kierzek, Drongou, Seibun, Jonesey95, Full-date unlinking bot, Alphanis, Az81964444, Mer-
lin48, Phoenix and Winslow, EmausBot, John of Reading, WikitanvirBot, AvicBot, , Graeme374, ChuispastonBot, Gunbird-
driver, Cepice, Helpful Pixie Bot, BG19bot, Pelaisse, Yowanvista, Dexbot, PraetorianFury, CR055H41RZ, Huji2013, Akshayvarma08,
Nihlus1, StjJackson, Typ2595, Target360YT and Anonymous: 94
Type 98 Ke-Ni Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_98_Ke-Ni?oldid=755038349 Contributors: Bobblewik, Russ3Z, Graeme-
Leggett, Rjwilmsi, MChew, Nemo5576, Gurch, Sus scrofa, Grakm fr, Theda, SmackBot, Hmains, Egsan Bacon, Semi-Lobster, Gunitz,
Kameraad Pjotr, Trimp, Cydebot, Aldis90, Kubanczyk, A1064, MECU, BilCat, Der Leiter, WinterSpw, VVVBot, Drhoehl, Lightmouse,
Idsnowdog, ClueBot, Tabunoki~enwiki, Addbot, Luckas-bot, Yobot, AnomieBOT, Citation bot, Xqbot, Mark Schierbecker, Amendola90,
Kierzek, D'ohBot, Jonesey95, Phoenix and Winslow, Merehap, John of Reading, AvicBot, H3llBot, Helpful Pixie Bot, Kbog, Ghrobianus,
YKR711, GreenC bot and Anonymous: 14
Type 3 Chi-Nu Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_3_Chi-Nu?oldid=761072889 Contributors: DocWatson42, Oberiko, Bob-
blewik, Mzajac, Hohum, GraemeLeggett, Rjwilmsi, MChew, Nemo5576, Sus scrofa, Megapixie, Grakm fr, Capt Jim, SmackBot,
Hmains, Semi-Lobster, Aldis90, Thijs!bot, Kubanczyk, A1064, JAnDbot, Torb37, BilCat, Dreamafter, Lightmouse, Mpdimitro, Jf-
davis668, Alexbot, Sa, Tabunoki~enwiki, Addbot, LinkFA-Bot, Yobot, AnomieBOT, Citation bot, Xqbot, Amendola90, FrescoBot,
Kierzek, HRoestBot, Wilytilt, Phoenix and Winslow, EmausBot, AvicBot, Frietjes, Helpful Pixie Bot, BG19bot, Dexbot, Irondome, Cer-
abot~enwiki, Redeagle32, Bouquey, Shannon Dal, Felix777, The Pittsburgher and Anonymous: 23
Type 5 Chi-Ri Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_5_Chi-Ri?oldid=761502896 Contributors: DocWatson42, Hohum, Pauli133,
GraemeLeggett, Rjwilmsi, MChew, Nemo5576, Sus scrofa, Hmains, Semi-Lobster, Wilhelm Wiesel, Aldis90, Kubanczyk, Nick Number,
BilCat, CommonsDelinker, Der Leiter, Jahoon5881, Haikon, Dreamafter, Lightmouse, Alexbot, Tabunoki~enwiki, Addbot, Latitude-
Bot, Luckas-bot, Markbruinekreeft, Citation bot, Xqbot, Amendola90, Kierzek, Phoenix and Winslow, Ripchip Bot, EmausBot, John of
Reading, WikitanvirBot, AvicBot, L1A1 FAL, Helpful Pixie Bot, BG19bot, M4mihulja, Makecat-bot, Huji2013, Sost137, Felix777 and
Anonymous: 25
Type 97 Chi-Ha Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_97_Chi-Ha?oldid=760876248 Contributors: Riddley, Oberiko, Niteowlneils,
Bobblewik, Edcolins, Mzajac, Icairns, Sam Hocevar, Darkone, CanisRufus, Bukvoed, H27kim, LordAmeth, Gene Nygaard, Marasmu-
sine, Woohookitty, Shikai shaw, Ruziklan, GraemeLeggett, BD2412, Rjwilmsi, MChew, Franzeska, FlaBot, Catsmeat, BjKa, Chobot, Ben-
lisquare, Sus scrofa, YurikBot, Grubber, Gaius Cornelius, Megapixie, Zwobot, Scope creep, Gunman47, CWenger, Curpsbot-unicodify,
GMan552, SmackBot, DMorpheus, Srnec, Commander Keane bot, Hmains, Bluebot, Jwy, Airwolf, Semi-Lobster, Zahid Abdassabur,
AllStarZ, -js-, ShakingSpirit, Iridescent, Nekohakase, Geeman, MrBoo, CmdrObot, Tristan benedict, Redlock, Edlin2, Caris42, Aldis90,
JamesAM, Thijs!bot, Kubanczyk, Goldenrowley, JAnDbot, Parsecboy, Torb37, Carom, Ling.Nut, Pixel ;-), KConWiki, Eqdoktor, Bil-
Cat, Fat yankey, Keith D, CommonsDelinker, Antarctica moon, WinterSpw, Hammersoft, TXiKiBoT, SieBot, Dreamafter, Noveltyghost,
Mpdimitro, Icarusgeek, ~enwiki, DarthRad, StigBot, Alexbot, PixelBot, Sun Creator, Tabunoki~enwiki, SchreiberBike, Staygyro,
Threecharlie, DumZiBoT, Addbot, Nohomers48, Luckas-bot, Yobot, KamikazeBot, AnomieBOT, Citation bot, Ferox Seneca, LilHelpa,
Obersachsebot, Xqbot, Amendola90, Kierzek, TrainsOutFront, RedBot, Foobarnix, Full-date unlinking bot, Phoenix and Winslow, Ripchip
Bot, EmausBot, AvicBot, Simbagraphix, Riotforlife, Snotbot, Helpful Pixie Bot, BG19bot, Frze, Wreck Smurfy, T55Storm, DMorpheus2,
Akira Takizawa, Huji2013, Shinhoto, The 51st Division, Dd76522, BD2412bot, GSS-1987, Glazenbol and Anonymous: 65
56 CHAPTER 9. TYPE 4 CHI-TO

Type 4 Chi-To Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_4_Chi-To?oldid=747527727 Contributors: DocWatson42, GraemeLeggett,

Rjwilmsi, MChew, Nemo5576, GnniX, Sus scrofa, SmackBot, Hmains, Gerben1974, -js-, Clarityend, Aldis90, Thijs!bot, Kubanczyk,
BilCat, Kronnang Dunn, Der Leiter, Ohms law, SieBot, Dreamafter, Otto Tanaka, Sa, Tabunoki~enwiki, Shem1805, DumZiBoT,
XLinkBot, Wikiuser100, Addbot, Micwilbur, Markbruinekreeft, AnomieBOT, Josephus37, Citation bot, Xqbot, Amendola90, Kierzek,
BenzolBot, Phoenix and Winslow, AvicBot, Helpful Pixie Bot, Yowanvista, GERCHI, Joedumlao, YFdyh-bot, Huji2013, Tomandjerry211,
IJN Urakaze, Laurelix and Anonymous: 24

9.8.2 Images
File:1st-IJA-Tank-Division,-night-practice-shooting.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/
1st-IJA-Tank-Division%2C-night-practice-shooting.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: https://www.flickr.com/photos/
dani1944/3526936918/in/photostream/ Original artist: Imperial Japanese Army
File:95 .JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/95%E5%BC%8F%E8%BB%BD%E6%88%
A6%E8%BB%8A%E3%83%91%E3%83%A9%E3%82%AA.JPG License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Original artist:

File:AMISOM_T-55.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/AMISOM_T-55.jpg License:
Public domain Contributors: self-made, appearance taken from http://warisboring.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/
ugandan-tank-presidential-palace-mogadishu-nov1-25-2007small.jpg Original artist: Orlovic
File:Ambox_important.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg License: Public do-
main Contributors: Own work, based o of Image:Ambox scales.svg Original artist: Dsmurat (talk contribs)
File:Amph_tank_(AWM_099057).jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Amph_tank_%28AWM_
099057%29.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: This image is available from the Collection Database of the Australian War
Memorial under the ID Number: 099057

This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing for more information.
Original artist: Unknown<a href='//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718' title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img alt='wikidata:Q4233718'
src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png' width='20'
height='11' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 1.5x,
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x' data-le-width='1050'
data-le-height='590' /></a>
File:Battle_of_Khalkhin_Gol-Japanese_Type_89_Chi-Ro_midium_tank.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/
commons/1/19/Battle_of_Khalkhin_Gol-Japanese_Type_89_Chi-Ro_midium_tank.jpg License: Public domain Contributors:
Contemporary Military Historian Original artist: Dmei Tsushin
File:Chi-Nu.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Chi-Nu.JPG License: Public domain Contributors:
Andrzej M. Tomczyk Japonska bron pancerna. Gdansk: AJ Press, 2005. Vol.4 (TankPower 13). ISBN 8-37237-167-9 Orig-
inal artist: Unknown<a href='https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718' title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img alt='wikidata:Q4233718'
src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png' width='20'
height='11' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 1.5x,
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x' data-le-width='1050'
data-le-height='590' /></a>
File:Chi-Nu_2.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Chi-Nu_2.jpg License: Public domain Contributors:
Andrzej M. Tomczyk. Japoska bro pancerna Vol. 4. AJ Press, 2005 (TankPower 12). ISBN 8-37237-167-9 Original artist: ?
File:Chi-Nu_4th_Tank_Division.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Chi-Nu_4th_Tank_Division.
JPG License: Public domain Contributors: Andrzej M. Tomczyk Japoska bro pancerna Vol. 4. AJ Press, 2005 (TankPower 12).
ISBN 8-37237-167-9 Original artist: ?
File:Chi-Nu_assembly_1.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Chi-Nu_assembly_1.jpg License: Public
domain Contributors: Andrzej M. Tomczyk. Japoska bro pancerna Vol. 4. AJ Press, 2005 (TankPower 12). ISBN 8-37237-167-9
Original artist: ?
File:Chi-Nu_production_line.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Chi-Nu_production_line.jpg Li-
cense: Public domain Contributors: Andrzej M. Tomczyk Japoska bro pancerna Vol. 4. AJ Press, 2005 (TankPower 12).
ISBN 8-37237-167-9 Original artist: ?
File:Chi-Nu_transmission.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Chi-Nu_transmission.jpg License: Pub-
lic domain Contributors: Andrzej M. Tomczyk. Japoska bro pancerna Vol. 4. AJ Press, 2005 (TankPower 12). ISBN 8-37237-
167-9 Original artist: ?
File:Chi-Ri.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Chi-Ri.JPG License: Public domain Contributors: ?
Original artist: ?
File:Chi-To.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/Chi-To.JPG License: Public domain Contributors: ?
Original artist: ?
File:Commons-logo.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg License: PD Contributors: ? Origi-
nal artist: ?
File:Experimental_Type_5_gun_tank_Ho-Ri_mock-up_scale_model_01.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/
commons/a/ad/Experimental_Type_5_gun_tank_Ho-Ri_mock-up_scale_model_01.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Tomio
Hara, Akira Takeuchi Nihon no sensha Japanese tanks)" p165, Shuppan Kyodosha, 1978. Original artist: Imperial Japanese Army
File:Experimental_Type_91_Heavy_Tank_01.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Experimental_
Type_91_Heavy_Tank_01.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Tomio Hara, Akira Takeuchi Nihon no sensha Japanese tanks)"
p143, Shuppan Kyodosha, 1978. Original artist: Imperial Japanese Army
9.8. TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES 57

File:Flag_of_France.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg License: PD Contributors: ? Orig-

inal artist: ?
File:Flag_of_Japan.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9e/Flag_of_Japan.svg License: PD Contributors: ? Origi-
nal artist: ?
File:Flag_of_Thailand.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Flag_of_Thailand.svg License: Public do-
main Contributors: Own work Original artist: Zscout370
File:Flag_of_the_People'{}s_Republic_of_China.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Flag_of_the_
People%27s_Republic_of_China.svg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work, http://www.protocol.gov.hk/flags/eng/n_flag/
design.html Original artist: Drawn by User:SKopp, redrawn by User:Denelson83 and User:Zscout370
File:Flag_of_the_Republic_of_China.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Flag_of_the_Republic_of_
China.svg License: Public domain Contributors: [1] Original artist: User:SKopp
File:Folder_Hexagonal_Icon.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/48/Folder_Hexagonal_Icon.svg License: Cc-by-
sa-3.0 Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File:Ha-Go_Khalkin-Gol.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Ha-Go_Khalkin-Gol.JPG License:
Public domain Contributors: .. . , 2000 Original artist:
Unknown<a href='//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718' title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img alt='wikidata:Q4233718' src='https://upload.
wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png' width='20' height='11' srcset='https://
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.
org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x' data-le-width='1050' data-le-height='590'
/></a>
File:Ha-Go_first_prototype.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Ha-Go_first_prototype.JPG License:
Public domain Contributors: Type 95 Light Tank. Ground Power, 12 (115), 2003. Original artist: ?
File:Heinkel_He_111_during_the_Battle_of_Britain.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Heinkel_
He_111_during_the_Battle_of_Britain.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: This is photograph MH6547 from the collec-
tions of the Imperial War Museums (collection no. 4700-05) Original artist: Unknown<a href='//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718'
title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img alt='wikidata:Q4233718' src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/
Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png' width='20' height='11' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/
thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/
Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x' data-le-width='1050' data-le-height='590' /></a>
File:Ho-Ni_II.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Ho-Ni_II.JPG License: Public domain Contributors:
Leland Ness. Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide. HarperCollins Publishers, 2002. ISBN
0-00711-228-9 Original artist: Unknown<a href='//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718' title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img alt='wikidata:
Q4233718' src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png'
width='20' height='11' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.
svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x'
data-le-width='1050' data-le-height='590' /></a>
File:IJA_Experimental_105mm_tank_gun_01.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/IJA_
Experimental_105mm_tank_gun_01.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Jiro Sayama Nihon rikugun no kaho nihon no
rikusen heiki tettei kenkyu : Hoheiho taisenshaho hokap378, Kojinsha, 2011. Original artist: Imperial Japanese Army
File:IJA_Experimental_tank_No1_01.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/IJA_Experimental_tank_
No1_01.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Noboru Takahashi Nihon no sensha to gunyo sharyo Japanese tanks and military
vehicles)" p45, Bunrindo, 2005. Original artist: Imperial Japanese Army
File:IJA_Type_89_medium_tank_Ko_earlymodel.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/IJA_
Type_89_medium_tank_Ko_earlymodel.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Jiro Sayama Kiko nyumon : kikaika
butai tettei kenkyup131, Kojinsha, 2002. Original artist: Unknown<a href='//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718' ti-
tle='wikidata:Q4233718'><img alt='wikidata:Q4233718' src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/
Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png' width='20' height='11' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/
thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/
Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x' data-le-width='1050' data-le-height='590' /></a>
File:IJA_Type_97_Chi-Ha_tank_radio_operator_and_vehicle_Radio_Set_Type_96_Mark_4_Bo.jpg Source: https:
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/IJA_Type_97_Chi-Ha_tank_radio_operator_and_vehicle_Radio_Set_Type_96_
Mark_4_Bo.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Jiro Sayama Kiko nyumon : kikaika butai tettei kenkyup156, Kojinsha, 2002.
Original artist: Imperial Japanese Army
File:Isshikityusensya.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Isshikityusensya.jpg License: Public domain
Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File:JGSDF_Type74_tank_(Public_Information_Center).jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/
JGSDF_Type74_tank_%28Public_Information_Center%29.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: los688
File:Japanese_-_Type_74_tank_-_2.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Japanese_-_Type_74_tank_
-_2.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work (Own photo) Original artist: User:Megapixie
File:Japanese_Type_3_Chi-Nu_tank_1.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Japanese_Type_3_
Chi-Nu_tank_1.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work (Own photo) Original artist: User:Megapixie
File:Japanese_Type_3_Chi-Nu_tank_2.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Japanese_Type_3_
Chi-Nu_tank_2.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work (Own photo) Original artist: Max Smith
File:Japanese_Type_61_tank_-_1.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Japanese_Type_61_tank_-_1.
jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work (Own photo) Original artist: User:Megapixie
58 CHAPTER 9. TYPE 4 CHI-TO

File:Japanese_Type_90_Tank_-_1.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Japanese_Type_90_Tank_-_1.

jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work (Own photo) Original artist: Max Smith
File:Japanese_Type_90_Tank_-_2.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/Japanese_Type_90_Tank_-_2.
jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work (Own photo) Original artist: User:Megapixie
File:Japanese_Type_97_Chi-Ha_Tank.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Japanese_Type_97_
Chi-Ha_Tank.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File:Japanese_light_tanks_moving_toward_Manila.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Japanese_
light_tanks_moving_toward_Manila.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: http://www.army.mil/CMH/books/wwii/5-2/5-2_14.htm
Original artist: Japanese military
File:Japanese_tankettes_with_pioneer_troops_marching_towards_Wu-han,_near_Na-hsi.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.
org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Japanese_tankettes_with_pioneer_troops_marching_towards_Wu-han%2C_near_Na-hsi.jpg License:
Public domain Contributors: 13 10 26 (Asahigraph) Original artist: (Aoi, Asahi Shimbun
correspondent)
File:Japanese_type_95_1.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Japanese_type_95_1.jpg License: CC
BY-SA 2.5 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Mark Pellegrini
File:Japanese_type_95_2.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Japanese_type_95_2.jpg License: CC BY-
SA 2.5 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Mark Pellegrini
File:Japanese_type_95_3.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Japanese_type_95_3.jpg License: CC
BY-SA 2.5 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Mark Pellegrini
File:Ka-Chi1.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Ka-Chi1.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: The
Maru Special No.50 Japanese minesweepers and landing shipsOriginal artist: Imperial Japanese Navy
File:Ke-Nu2.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Ke-Nu2.JPG License: Public domain Contributors:
http://www3.plala.or.jp/takihome/ Original artist: ?
File:M4-sherman-killer-kwajalein.gif Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/M4-sherman-killer-kwajalein.
gif License: Public domain Contributors: ARC Identier: 532524 Original artist: Photographer: Tennelly
File:Merchant_flag_of_Japan_(1870).svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Flag_of_Japan_
%281870-1999%29.svg License: Public domain Contributors: kahusi - <a href='//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Kahusi'
title='User talk:Kahusi'>(Talk)</a>'s le Original artist: kahusi - <a href='//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Kahusi' title='User
talk:Kahusi'>(Talk)</a>
File:Mk.A_Whippets_in_Japanese_service.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Mk.A_Whippets_in_
Japanese_service.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: S. J. Zaloga. Japanese Tanks 193945. Osprey Publishing, 2007. ISBN
1-84603-091-8 Original artist: Unknown<a href='//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718' title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img alt='wikidata:
Q4233718' src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png'
width='20' height='11' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.
svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x'
data-le-width='1050' data-le-height='590' /></a>
File:PLAShenyang.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/PLAShenyang.jpg License: Public domain Con-
tributors: Transferred from zh.wikipedia to Commons. Original artist: The original uploader was Aukingluntom at Chinese Wikipedia
File:Sherman-korea.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Sherman-korea.jpg License: Public domain
Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File:Tank_at_Tarawa_crop.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Tank_at_Tarawa_crop.jpg License:
Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File:Type-89-Aberdeen.0003cg4s.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Type-89-Aberdeen.0003cg4s.
jpg License: CC BY-SA 2.5 Contributors: Own work Original artist: User:Fat yankey
File:Type-97-Shinhoto-ChiHa-Aberdeen.0003dtwq.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/
Type-97-Shinhoto-ChiHa-Aberdeen.0003dtwq.jpg License: CC BY-SA 2.5 Contributors: Own work Original artist: User:Fat
yankey
File:Type10MBT.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Type10MBT.jpg License: Public domain Contrib-
utors: Original artist: T.Goto
File:Type5_75mm_tank_gun_01.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Type5_75mm_tank_gun_01.jpg
License: Public domain Contributors: Jiro Sayama Nihon rikugun no kaho nihon no rikusen heiki tettei kenkyu : Hoheiho taisenshaho
hokap370, Kojinsha, 2011. Original artist: Imperial Japanese Army
File:Type89B_Otsu.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Type89B_Otsu.jpg License: Public domain
Contributors: http://www.aviarmor.net/tww2/tanks/japan/medium_type89.htm Original artist: Imperial Japanese Army
File:Type_4_12cm_self-propelled_gun_Ho-To.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Type_4_12cm_
self-propelled_gun_Ho-To.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Jiro Sayama Nihon rikugun no kaho nihon no rikusen heiki tettei
kenkyu : Hoheiho taisenshaho hokap506, Kojinsha, 2011. Original artist: Imperial Japanese Army
File:Type_4_medium_tank_Chi-To_01.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Type_4_medium_tank_
Chi-To_01.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Tomio Hara, Akira Takeuchi Nihon no sensha Japanese tanks)" p110, Shup-
pan Kyodosha, 1978. Original artist: U.S. Army
File:Type_4_medium_tank_Chi-To_02.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Type_4_medium_tank_
Chi-To_02.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Tomio Hara, Akira Takeuchi Nihon no sensha Japanese tanks)" p110, Shup-
pan Kyodosha, 1978. Original artist: U.S. Army
9.8. TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES 59

File:Type_4_medium_tank_Chi-To_planned_production_model_01.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

9/94/Type_4_medium_tank_Chi-To_planned_production_model_01.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Jiro SayamaNihon riku-
gun no kaho nihon no rikusen heiki tettei kenkyu : Hoheiho taisenshaho hokap372, Kojinsha, 2011. Original artist: Imperial Japanese
Army
File:Type_5_Na-To.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Type_5_Na-To.jpg License: Public do-
main Contributors: [1] Taki's Imperial Japanese Army HP Original artist: Unknown<a href='//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718'
title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img alt='wikidata:Q4233718' src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/
Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png' width='20' height='11' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/
thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/
Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x' data-le-width='1050' data-le-height='590' /></a>
File:Type_61_DA-SC-86-04498.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Type_61_DA-SC-86-04498.jpg
License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File:Type_89_I-Go_at_Villa_Escudero,_Quezon_Province,_Philippines.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/
commons/4/4f/Type_89_I-Go_at_Villa_Escudero%2C_Quezon_Province%2C_Philippines.jpg License: CC BY-SA 4.0 Contributors:
Own work Original artist: Dbanaga
File:Type_89_Yi-Go_at_Tsuchira.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Type_89_Yi-Go_at_Tsuchira.
jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: User:Megapixie
File:Type_92_Iju_Sokosha_Tankette.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Type_92_Iju_Sokosha_
Tankette.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: http://www3.plala.or.jp/takihome/newfolder/013.jpg Original artist: Imperial Japanese
Army
File:Type_94_TK_tankette.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Type_94_TK_tankette.
jpg License: Public domain Contributors: [1] TORIKAI Yukihiro, Toka University Original artist: Unknown<a
href='//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718' title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img alt='wikidata:Q4233718' src='https://upload.
wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png' width='20' height='11' src-
set='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 1.5x,
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x' data-le-width='1050'
data-le-height='590' /></a>
File:Type_95_(AWM_097336).jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Type_95_%28AWM_097336%29.
jpg License: Public domain Contributors: This image is available from the Collection Database of the Australian War Memorial under the
ID Number: 097336

This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing for more information.
Original artist: photographer not identied
File:Type_95_Ha-Go.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Type_95_Ha-Go.jpg License: Public domain
Contributors: This image is available from the Collection Database of the Australian War Memorial under the ID Number: 011299

This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing for more information.
Original artist: The original uploader was Wolcott at English Wikipedia
File:Type_95_Ha-Go_tank_Malaya_AWM_011298.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Type_95_
Ha-Go_tank_Malaya_AWM_011298.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: This image is available from the Collection Database of
the Australian War Memorial under the ID Number: 011298

This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing for more information.
Original artist: photographer not identied
File:Type_95_Ha_Go_tank_under_restoration_in_Sept_2012.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/
Type_95_Ha_Go_tank_under_restoration_in_Sept_2012.JPG License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors:
Olympus E-PL3
Original artist: Nick-D
File:Type_95_Tank_Lampang_Thailand_016.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Type_95_Tank_
Lampang_Thailand_016.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Z3144228
File:Type_95_light_tank_Ha-Go_early_model.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Type_95_light_
tank_Ha-Go_early_model.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Jiro Sayama Kiko nyumon : kikaika butai tettei kenkyup214,
Kojinsha, 2002. Original artist: Unknown<a href='//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718' title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img alt='wikidata:
Q4233718' src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png'
width='20' height='11' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.
svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x'
data-le-width='1050' data-le-height='590' /></a>
File:Type_95_top_rear_3-4_view.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Type_95_top_rear_3-4_view.
JPG License: CC BY-SA 2.5 Contributors: No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims). Original
artist: No machine-readable author provided. Makthorpe assumed (based on copyright claims).
File:Type_97_(AWM_P00001-361).jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Type_97_%28AWM_
P00001-361%29.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: This image is available from the Collection Database of the Australian War
Memorial under the ID Number: P00001.361

This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing for more information.
Original artist: ?
60 CHAPTER 9. TYPE 4 CHI-TO

File:Type_97_Chi-Ha_in_the_Great_Patriotic_War_Museum_5-jun-2014.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/

commons/e/e8/Type_97_Chi-Ha_in_the_Great_Patriotic_War_Museum_5-jun-2014.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own
work Original artist: Mike1979 Russia
File:Type_97_light_armored_car_Te-Ke_01.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Type_97_light_
armored_car_Te-Ke_01.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Jiro Sayama Kiko nyumon : kikaika butai tettei kenkyup246,
Kojinsha, 2002. Original artist: Imperial Japanese Army
File:Type_98A_Ke-Ni.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Type_98A_Ke-Ni.jpg License: Public do-
main Contributors: http://wiki.tankpedia.org/Type_98_Ke-Ni_Light_Tank Original artist: Imperial Japanese Army
File:Type_98_light_tank.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Type_98_light_tank.jpg License: Public
domain Contributors: http://military.sakura.ne.jp/army/j_keni.htm Original artist: Unknown<a href='//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718'
title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img alt='wikidata:Q4233718' src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/
Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png' width='20' height='11' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/
thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/
Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x' data-le-width='1050' data-le-height='590' /></a>
File: .jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/%E4%B8%80%E5%BC%8F%E7%A0%B2%
E6%88%A6%E8%BB%8A.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File: .jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/%E4%B8%89%E5%BC%8F%E4%B8%AD%
E6%88%A6%E8%BB%8A.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File: .jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/%E4%B8%89%E5%BC%8F%E7%A0%B2%
E6%88%A6%E8%BB%8A.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File: .jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/%E4%BA%8C%E5%BC%8F%E8%BB%BD%
E6%88%A6%E8%BB%8A.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
File: ype_2_Ho-I_gun_tank.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/%EF%BC%B4ype_2_Ho-I_gun_
tank.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: http://schafe.s246.xrea.com/combat/data/2SHIKIHO.htm Original artist: Un-
known<a href='//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718' title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img alt='wikidata:Q4233718' src='https://upload.
wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png' width='20' height='11' srcset='https://
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.
org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/40px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png 2x' data-le-width='1050' data-le-height='590'
/></a>

9.8.3 Content license

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0