This is a list of vehicles developed from the

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

ese

Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank The 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. ...

Type 97 Chi-Ha in the Great Patriotic War Museum 5-jun-2014

Amphibious tanks and armoured carriers

Type 3 Ka-Chi The was an amphibious medium tank developed by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II. The Type 3 Ka-Chi was based on an extensively modified Imperial Japanese Army Type 1 Chi-He medium tank (it had 2 more road-wheels and two more return roll ...

:Amphibious tank derived from a modified

Type 1 Chi-He The was an improved version of the Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tanks of the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. It had a more powerful main gun, engine and thicker armor. It was the first Japanese tank to have a communication radio as standard equ ...

chassis, armed with a Type 1 47 mm main gun and two 7.7 mm machine guns. *

Type 4 Ka-Tsu The was a Japanese amphibious landing craft of World War II. The first prototype was completed in late 1943 and trials were conducted off Kure in March 1944. History Japan's combat experience in the Solomon Islands in 1942 which revealed the d ...

:Amphibious, armoured, cargo/troop tracked carrier that was developed by the

Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender ...

(IJN). The engine component and electric devices were watertight and it could be carried underwater attached to a submarine. The twin drive propeller shafts were designed to retract "into their ducts" once the vehicle reached shore. *

Type 5 To-Ku The was a Japanese prototype amphibious tank developed in 1945. The development status by the end of the Pacific War The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War, was the theater of World War II that was fought in Asia, t ...

:Amphibious tank armed with one 47 mm gun, one 25 mm Type 1 gun and two 7.7 mm Type 97 machine guns. The turret was a modified version of the one used on the

Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha Type may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Typing, producing text via a keyboard, typewriter, etc. * Data type, collection of values used for computations. * File type * TYPE (DOS command), a command to display contents of a file. * Typ ...

with a Type 5 Chi-Ri hull. Only one prototype was built. *Type 4 Ka-Sha :Amphibious vehicle design based on the

Type 4 Chi-To The ("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 mate ...

or Type 5 Chi-Ri chassis. Not produced, even as a prototype.

Engineering vehicles

*Experimental Trench Excavator :Derived from the Type 97 Chi-Ha, it had a trench digging plow in the stern. This vehicle was made around 1941-42 for service in Manchuria. Some examples were sent to Wewak on the north coast of Papua-New Guinea for use by the Japanese 6th Div AIF.

Medium tanks

*Experimental

Type 98 Chi-Ho medium tank The experimental Type 98 ''Chi-Ho'' was a prototype Japanese medium tank. It was developed on orders from the Imperial Japanese Army. "Chi Ho" indicates that it is designated as the 5th Iroha, (I, Ro, Ha, Ni, Ho) medium (Chi) tank. A total of fou ...

:Prototype medium tank produced in 1939. It had a similar chassis to the Type 97. *

Type 97 ShinHoTo Chi-Ha medium tank Type may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Typing, producing text via a keyboard, typewriter, etc. * Data type, collection of values used for computations. * File type * TYPE (DOS command), a command to display contents of a file. * T ...

(a/k/a Type 97 Chi-Ha Kai) :Type 97 with a new larger

gun turret A gun turret (or simply turret) is a mounting platform from which weapons can be fired that affords protection, visibility and ability to turn and aim. A modern gun turret is generally a rotatable weapon mount that houses the crew or mechani ...

armed with the Type 1 47 mm gun. *

Type 1 Chi-He medium tank The was an improved version of the Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tanks of the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. It had a more powerful main gun, engine and thicker armor. It was the first Japanese tank to have a communication radio as standard equi ...

:A successor to the Chi-Ha. The speed and the armor were better than the Chi-Ha, but it still had only a 47 mm main gun. *

Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tank was a medium tank of the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. Like the Type 1 Chi-He, this tank was an improved version of the Type 97 Chi-Ha. It incorporated a Type 3 75 mm tank gun, one of the largest Japanese tank guns during the war. T ...

:Developed in order to cope with M4 Sherman. Its hull is the same of Chi-He and its Type 3 75 mm gun was converted from the 75 mm Type 90 field gun. It had a large new hexagonal gun turret and a commander's cupola. The Chi-Nu was deployed in Japan proper to counter the expected Allied invasion. It was the last design based directly on Type 97 lineage.

Gun tanks

Type 2 Ho-I The was a derivative of the Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tanks of the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. Similar in concept to the early variants of the German Panzer IV, it was designed as a self-propelled howitzer to provide the close-in fire sup ...

medium gun tank :The Imperial Japanese Army called close fire support tanks, "gun tanks". The experimental model was based on the Chi-Ha and the production model was based on the Chi-He. The Ho-I mounted a short barrel Type 99 75 mm tank gun. They were intended to be deployed in a fire support company in each of the tank regiments. There is no record a Ho-I was used in action as they were deployed in Japan to defend against the expected Allied invasion. *Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha

Short Barrel 120 mm gun tank Short may refer to: Places * Short (crater), a lunar impact crater on the near side of the Moon * Short, Mississippi, an unincorporated community * Short, Oklahoma, a census-designated place People * Short (surname) * List of people known as ...

:Late in World War II, this Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha variant was produced for the Imperial Japanese Navy. The standard 47 mm main gun was replaced with a short barrel naval 12 cm (120 mm) "anti-submarine" gun with a muzzle brake added. A limited number of "about a dozen" were produced for deployment by the

Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces The Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF; ja, 海軍特別陸戦隊, Kaigun Tokubetsu Rikusentai) were naval infantry units of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and were a part of the IJN Land Forces. They saw extensive service in the Second Sino ...

Self propelled gun Self-propelled artillery (also called locomotive artillery) is artillery equipped with its own propulsion system to move toward its firing position. Within the terminology are the self-propelled gun, self-propelled howitzer, self-propelled m ...
s

Type 1 Ho-Ni I The was a tank destroyer and self-propelled artillery developed by the Imperial Japanese Army for use during World War II in the Pacific theater. It saw limited combat action, being first deployed at the Battle of Luzon in the Philippines in 194 ...

75 mm SP AT gun :Turret removed and 75 mm gun installed in an open

casemate A casemate is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which artillery, guns are fired, in a fortification, warship, or armoured fighting vehicle.Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary When referring to Ancient history, antiquity, th ...

to create a

self-propelled gun Self-propelled artillery (also called locomotive artillery) is artillery equipped with its own propulsion system to move toward its firing position. Within the terminology are the self-propelled gun, self-propelled howitzer, self-propelled mo ...

. They were organized along similar lines as artillery units. They saw combat action, being first deployed at the

Battle of Luzon The Battle of Luzon ( tl, Labanan sa Luzon; ja, ルソン島の戦い; es, Batalla de Luzón) was a land battle of the Pacific Theater of Operations of World War II by the Allied forces of the U.S., its colony the Philippines, and allies agai ...

in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

in 1945. *

Type 1 Ho-Ni II The was a tank destroyer and self-propelled artillery developed by the Imperial Japanese Army for use during World War II in the Pacific theater. It saw limited combat action, being first deployed at the Battle of Luzon in the Philippines in 19 ...

105 mm SPG :Type 91 105 mm gun installed on the same modified Type 97 chassis as the Ho-Ni I with a slightly changed superstructure as far as the side armor with re-positioned observation visors. *

Type 3 Ho-Ni III The was a tank destroyer and self-propelled artillery of Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. The Type 3 Ho-Ni III superseded the Type 1 Ho-Ni I and its variant the Type 1 Ho-Ni II in production, and gave better protection to the crew by havi ...

75 mm SP AT gun :The Ho-Ni III had a

Type 3 75 mm tank gun The Type 3 75 mm tank gun was used as the main armament of the Imperial Japanese Army Type 3 Chi-Nu medium tank. It was one of the largest guns ever to be fitted on a World War II Japanese tank. Design and use The Type 3 had a caliber of , barr ...

mount in a fully enclosed casemate and was deployed in tank regiments as a

tank destroyer A tank destroyer, tank hunter, tank killer, or self-propelled anti-tank gun is a type of armoured fighting vehicle, armed with a direct fire artillery gun or missile launcher, designed specifically to engage and destroy enemy tanks, often wi ...

. Most were stationed within the

Japanese home islands The Japanese archipelago (Japanese: 日本列島, ''Nihon rettō'') is a group of 6,852 islands that form the country of Japan, as well as the Russian island of Sakhalin. It extends over from the Sea of Okhotsk in the northeast to the East Chi ...

to defend against the projected Allied Invasion. Type 4 15cm self-propelled gun Ho-Ro

Type 4 Ho-Ro The was based on an already existing reinforced Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank chassis developed by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. Development Inspired by the Grille series of self-propelled artillery vehicles developed by Nazi Germany ...

15 cm SP howitzer :SPG with Type 38 15 cm (149.1 mm) howitzer on a modified Type 97 chassis, similar to Ho-Ni I SPG with a front

gun shield A U.S. Marine manning an M240 machine gun equipped with a gun shield A gun shield is a flat (or sometimes curved) piece of armor designed to be mounted on a crew-served weapon such as a machine gun, automatic grenade launcher, or artillery piece ...

, which only extended a very short distance on the sides. They were deployed in a piecemeal fashion, seeing combat during the Philippines Campaign and the

Battle of Okinawa The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...

. * Naval 12 cm SPG or Long Barrel 120 mm SPG :SPG developed by the Imperial Japanese Navy with a naval Type 10 120 mm gun on a modified Type 97 tank chassis. *Experimental Type 5 15 cm SPG Ho-Chi or Ho-Chi Sha :SPG with a Type 96 15 cm (149.1 mm) Howitzer on a modified Type 97 chassis. Similar to Ho-Ni and Ho-Ro SPGs with an open casemate. Stage of development unknown. * Chinese 75 MM SPG :SPG using a Type 94 75 mm mountain gun developed by the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...

in 1948 using captured Type 97 Chi-Ha chassis and Japanese mountain guns in order to provide firepower lacking after US deliveries of equipment were stopped. Additionally, armed with two Chinese made

ZB vz. 26 The ZB vz. 26 was a Czechoslovak light machine gun developed in the 1920s, which went on to enter service with several countries. It saw its major use during World War II, and spawned the related ZB vz. 27, vz. 30, and vz. 33. The ZB vz. 26 influe ...

machine guns they were used in the

Chinese Civil War The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led government of the Republic of China and forces of the Chinese Communist Party, continuing intermittently since 1 August 1927 until 7 December 1949 with a Communist victory on m ...

Other variants

*Se-Ri :

Armoured recovery vehicle An armoured recovery vehicle (ARV) is typically a powerful tank or armoured personnel carrier (APC) chassis modified for use during combat for military vehicle recovery (towing) or repair of battle-damaged, stuck, and/or inoperable armoured f ...

on a modified Type 97 chassis with a collapsible crane powered by a Type 100 240 hp diesel engine. The winch was located over the rear deck of the engine compartment. The Se-Ri also had "external stowage ranks" on each side of the hull. A machine gun turret replaced the main gun turret used on the Type 97 Chi-Ha tank. Introduced in 1939, three were produced. Type 97 Chi-Yu mine flail tank

*Type 97 Chi-Yu "

Mine flail A mine flail is a vehicle-mounted device that makes a safe path through a minefield by deliberately detonating land mines in front of the vehicle that carries it. They were first used by the British during World War II. The mine flail consists of ...

tank" :Type 97 Chi-Ha fitted with 2 revolving drums with rows of chains mounted on glacis plates and linked to the drive wheels for clearing a mine-field. The prototype copied the design of the British mine flail tanks. Mine-clearing Type 97 GS

*Type 97 "Mine clearing tank GS" :Type 97 Chi-Ha fitted with rocket launchers. First produced in 1943. A rocket would be launched with detonating cords affixed from its engine deck. The tank also had a rocket launcher at the rear MG position on the turret. It launched a Bangalore torpedo affixed to a rocket. Ho-k

*Ho-K :An armoured lumberjack vehicle on a modified Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha chassis and a steel prow mounted for creating paths through forests. Used in

Manchuria Manchuria is an exonym (derived from the endo demonym " Manchu") for a historical and geographic region in Northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day Northeast China (Inner Manchuria) and parts of the Russian Far East (Outer Manc ...

to aid the fight against the Soviet Union. One group was sent to

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...

for use in the construction of an airfield there. *"Lumber Sweeper" Basso-Ki :A lumberjack vehicle on a modified Type 97 chassis. It was used to remove severed trees and stumps generated by the work of the Ho-K. *Type 97 Shi-Ki :Command tank on a Type 97 chassis. It had a machine gun in the turret and a 37 mm gun on the hull. Recognized by its different sized turret with the rail-antenna, it had long-range communications and superior optics. "Mainly" used at the tank training schools.Taki's Imperial Japanese Army: Command Tank "Shi-Ki"
/ref> *Type 97 Ka-So :Command tank built to replace the older Type 97 Shi-Ki. It was based on the

and had additional radios inside its turret. A wood dummy main gun was placed in the turret. *Type T-G "bridge layer" :Type 97 with the turret removed with rollers which support the "bridging span carrier" over the top of the chassis.

Notes

References

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External links

Taki's Imperial Japanese Army Page - Akira TakizawaSino Records - Chi-Ha SPG Mystery Tank - Leo Guo
{{WWIIJapaneseAFVs Medium tanks of Japan World War II tanks of Japan Mitsubishi