Demonstrating a general lack of interest in such a weapon until the very eve of the Second World War, Japan’s only domestic submachine gun would service in relatively miniscule numbers compared to its contemporaries amongst the other major nations of the conflict.

The standard sniper’s rifle of the Imperial Japanese military in the Second World War was a relatively unimpressive creation, being little more than a standard Type 38 rifle fitted with a scope.

Problems with Japan’s first smokeless powder rifle prompted a redesign of the mechanism, leading to one of the strongest and simplest rifles ever produced, which would serve the Empire for almost half a century.

An interesting hybrid rifle, the Type I is a fusion of the Italian Carcano action to the fittings of a Japanese Arisaka, and is an interesting example of cooperation between the European Axis and the Japanese Empire.

The Japanese Type 44 Arisaka was a specialized variant of the Type 38 rifle intended for use by cavalry and other mounted troops, incorporating a folding bayonet.

The Japanese Type 99 rifle was intended to replace the Type 38 as the standard issue weapon to the Imperial Japanese Military during World War Two, but was never able to supplant its older brother.