Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images
Japan built a large and capable armored force to counter the Soviets during the Cold War.
But a rising China poses a new challenge, and Japan is changing how it designs and uses its armor.
Despite a few successes early in World War II, Japanese armor was hopelessly outclassed by Allied tanks as soon as they arrived in large numbers.
Those experiences and the threat of a Soviet invasion led the Japanese to put much more effort into post-war tank designs. By the 1990s, Japan had a large and capable armored force.
But the Japan Self Defense Force (JSDF) has had to recalibrate in recent decades.
Japan is rethinking how to use its tanks to prepare for a potential clash with China
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21st April 2021 - 19:00 GMT | by Koji Miyake in Tokyo RSS
The M249 is the mainstay light machine gun in the JGSDF. (Koji Miyake)
Japanese small-arms production could take a hit as one major domestic manufacturer relinquishes its lead role.
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) is seeking a successor to its current M249 5.56mm light machine gun, but chief contender Sumitomo Heavy Industries (SHI) has decided to withdraw from the competition.
The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) signed a contract with Sumitomo subsidiary Sumisho Aero-Systems to introduce four FN Minimi Mk3 weapons in February 2020. ATLA had also signed a contract with JALUX in February to introduce four Heckler & Koch MG4s, with SHI contracted to produce .