page_title: Japanese tanks of World War II
section_title: Amphibious tanks
hierarchical_section_title: Japanese tanks of World War II / Japanese designs / Amphibious tanks
caption_attribution_description: English: A Japanese Type 2 Ka-Mi Amphibious Tank coming ashore after trials carried out by members of 2/4 Armoured Regiment in Talili Bay, Rabaul, New Britain.
context_page_description: The Imperial Japanese Army initially purchased foreign tanks for evaluation during World War I, and began developing its own indigenous designs during the late 1920s.
  Due to the war with China, Japan produced a large number of tanks. Although initially the Japanese used tanks to good effect in their campaigns, full-scale armored warfare did not occur in the Pacific and Southeast Asian theaters as it did in Europe, and tank development was neglected in favor of naval activities. The best Japanese designs were never used in combat as they were kept back in expectation of defending the Japanese Home Islands.
context_section_description: During the 1930s and 1940s, Japan produced a number of amphibious tank designs, including prototypes such as the Sumida Amphibious Armored Car (AMP), SR I-Go, SR II Ro-Go, SR III Ha-Go, Type 1 Mi-Sha (a/k/a Type 1 Ka-Mi) and Type 5 To-Ku. Production amphibious tanks included the Type 2 Ka-Mi, and Type 3 Ka-Chi; production amphibious transports included the F B swamp vehicle, and Type 4 Ka-Tsu APC. All production units were for use by the Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces in campaigns in the Pacific with amphibious operations.
  The Type 1 was an early IJN experimental design that led to the Type 2 Ka-Mi, which was based on the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank. The Type 2 Ka-Mi was the first production Japanese amphibious tank, although beginning in 1942 only 182 to 184 units were built. Type 2 Ka-Mi was first used in combat on Guadalcanal in late 1942. Later they were encountered by US forces in fighting on the Marshall Islands, the Mariana Islands and on the Philippine island of Leyte in late 1944.
  The Type 3 Ka-Chi was based on an extensively modified Type 1 Chi-He medium tank and was a larger and more capable version of the earlier Type 2 Ka-Mi amphibious tank. However, given the fact the main priorities of the navy were in warship and aircraft production, and lacking in any definite plans for additional amphibious operations, production of the Type 3 Ka-Chi remained a very low priority. Only 19 Type 3 Ka-Chi tanks were built during the war. The Type 5 To-Ku was based on the Type 5 Chi-Ri and Type 3 Ka-Chi. Only one prototype was built.
caption: Australian soldiers testing a Type 2 Ka-Mi, 1945
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