The Japanese Empire begun it's tank developments like many other nations that had been interested in developing tanks by purchasing a small number of tanks from the already established tank powers of Britain and France in this case Renault FT light tanks and Carden Loyd tankettes had been purchased from there they begun to work on their own designs resulting the the Type 87 Chi-I medium tank.

Keep in mind the Tank Designer in HOI IV doesn't allow for a lot of variety in modifications so many vehicles will be stuck with the same gun.

The design may say basic radio however you can put whatever radio you want on any of the tanks with the listed basic radio modification. Also the armour and engine upgrades is up to your own preference.

Unlike most other major nations the Japanese mainly stayed with their older designed Ha-Go and Chi-Ha tanks throughout the entire war but with the looming threat of an American invasion onto the home islands towards the end some interesting designs had been made.

produced: 167
owned: 0
The Type 92 had many names but is often regarded as the first indigenous tankette for the Japanese. These small armoured vehicles were armed with 1 13mm machine gun and a 7.7mm light machine gun and would be produced between 1932-1939 and were eventually phased out by the more well known Type 94 Tankette that replaced it. an amphibious version called the Type 92 A-I-Go was also made but only 2 were produced.

Inter-War Light Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Gasoline Engine
  
• Heavy Machine Gun
  
• One Man Turret
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 823
owned: 336
The Type 94 was the main tankette used by the Japanese Empire during the Second World War. As it was such a cheap and small vehicle it would do well in the Chinese Theatre and early attacks against the British and American and their allies during the Pacific campaign however that would also be their downfall as more advanced vehicles appeared in the Pacific theatre such as the M4 Sherman and M3 Stuart.

Inter-War Light Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Gasoline Engine
  
• Heavy Machine Gun
  
• One Man Turret

produced: 2300
owned: 0
The Type 95 Ha-Go was the first indigenous light tank produced by the Japanese and would be the main tank throughout World War 2 for the Japanese with around 2300 tanks being produced between 1936-1943. Armed with a 37mm Type 94 and 2 light machine guns the tank would ravage China and the Pacific early on before eventually becoming obsolete but still easy to produce hence the big numbers.

Basic Light Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Small Cannon
  
• One Man Turret
  
• Additional Machine Gun
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 616
owned: 0
The Type 97 Te-Ke was the final Tankette of the Japanese Empire but unlike the previous two it had the option to be armed with the 37mm Type 94 found on the Ha-Go or a 7.7mm Machine Gun. as it was about half the cost of a Ha-Go it was produced in a decent number for a Japanese vehicle.

Basic Light Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Small Cannon/ Heavy Machine Gun
  
• One Man Turret

produced: 104
owned: 0
The Type 98 Ke-Ni was designed as the successor to the Ha-Go although being designed in 1938 it would not begin production until 1942, it featured welded armoured and a two man turret as well as a slightly better cannon improving slightly on the anti tank capabilities of it's predecessor although not by much, additionally a light machine gun was also present on the tank.

Improved Light Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Welded Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Improved Small Cannon
  
• Two Man Turret
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 34
owned: 0
The Type 2 Ke-To improved upon the Ke-Ni design with an improved cannon and a larger turret for more space although the designer doesn't really include anything to improve the gun except for a squeeze bore modification you could add if you wanted to make it different from it's predecessor in terms of armour penetration. Despite being produced in limited numbers a few did engage in combat towards the end of the war.

Improved Light Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Welded Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Improved Small Cannon
  
• Two Man Turret
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 1-5?
owned: 0
The Type 3 Ke-Ri was the first attempt in adding the type 97 57mm to the Ha-Go although only a few prototypes were produced due to the fact the limited space in the turret when occupied by the larger 57mm meant a redesign was needed in the form of the Type 4 Ke-Nu.

Basic Light Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Close Support Gun
  
• One Man Turret
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 100
owned: 0
The Type 4 Ke-Nu improved upon the previous Type 3 prototypes by incorporating the Chi-Ha 57 turret with a Ha-Go hull and retaining 2 machine guns just like the Ha-Go. Most of the produced Ke-Nu were conversions from surplus Chi-Ha 57 turrets fitted onto the Ha-Go to increase the firepower.

Basic Light Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Close Support Gun
  
• Two Man Turret
  
• Additional Machine Gun
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 1
owned: 0
The Type 5 Ke-Ho was the final light prototype produced during the war before ending the lineage of light tanks in the Japanese army using the Chi-He as the bases for the design incorporated into a Light tank, it may of also used a Radio if it did go into a production series although the war ended before this could happen and the Japanese industry already being very crippled by the time the production order was made in 1945.

Improved Light Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Welded Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Basic High Velocity Cannon
  
• Two Man Turret
  
• Radio
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 404
owned: 0
The Type 89 I-Go also known as the Chi-Ro was the first indigenous Japanese tank to enter mass production and the worlds first mass produced diesel engine tank, beginning production in 1932 it was phased out fast in favour of it's successor the Chi-Ha. Like many early medium tanks it's main armament the 57mm Type 90 and it's successor on the Chi Ha the Type 97 were more of close support weapons rather than anti tank.

Interwar Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Close Support Gun
  
• Two Man Turret
  
• Additional Machine Gun
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 1
owned: 0
The Type 97 Chi-Ni was a competitor to the Chi-Ha and was smaller and lighter than it's competitor however it never got into service due to the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese war removing the budget restraints allowing the Chi-Ha to win being the more capable tank for the war and what it could offer if improvements were needed to the tank.

Basic Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Close Support Gun
  
• One Man Turret
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 1162
owned: 0
The Type 97 Chi-Ha was the main medium tank of the Japanese during the Second World War and was very effective in the early stages of the war, like the majority of Japanese tanks there was not a lot of armour on their tanks as steel was more important for the naval effort more than for the army and the intended major threat for the Japanese had either light armoured tanks or no armour at all during the development period of the Chi-Ha. The Tank has 2 machine guns and a 57mm Type 97 cannon

Basic Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Close Support Gun
  
• Two Man Turret
  
• Additional Machine Gun
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 930
owned: 0
The Type 97 Chi-Ha Kai was an improved variant of the Chi Ha designed more for combating tanks rather than being a close support vehicle, it was the first Japanese tank to feature a 3 man turret however only begun production from 1942 onwards.

Basic Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Basic High Velocity Cannon
  
• Three Man Turret
  
• Additional Machine Gun
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 4
owned: 0
The Type 98 Chi-Ho was based on the Chi-Ni as a lighter medium tank due to quite a military staff not giving up on that project, it features the the Type 1 47mm familiar on the Chi-Ha Kai but on a cheaper tank chassis however you can't really replicate that in hoi iv without reducing the armour but I gave a Two man turret to the tank as I have no idea if it's a three man or two man turret

Basic Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Basic High Velocity Cannon
  
• Two Man Turret
  
• Additional Machine Gun
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 170
owned: 0
The Type 1 Chi-He was based upon the Chi-Ha Kai design however would feature a number of improvements from having a welded front rather than riveted, radio instead of signals and was more armoured than it's predecessor however it still retained the same firepower of the Kai and was only used for home defence on the home islands of Japan.

Basic Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Welded Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Basic High Velocity Cannon
  
• Three Man Turret
  
• Radio
  
• Additional Machine Gun
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 144-166
owned: 0
The Type 3 Chi-Nu improved upon both the Chi-Ha and Chi-He designs with the threat of the Sherman tank being hard for the 47mm Type 1 to deal with the need for a tank with a larger gun with the 75mm already present on the Japanese Tank Destroyers. The Type 3 75mm is very similar to contemporary long barrel 75/76mm cannons present on Western tank designs although the Chi Nu was produced much later than those tanks with production starting in 1944, all Chi-Nu's would be used on the home islands only.

Basic Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Welded Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Improved Medium Cannon
  
• Three Man Turret
  
• Radio
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 2
owned: 0
The Type 4 Chi-To was essentially an enlarged Chi-Nu with a higher velocity 75mm that was more heavily armoured than the Chi-Nu but was produced very late into the war with only 2 prototypes being produced, it would of possibly been a potent threat to an American invasion if there was more numbers of them.

Improved Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Welded Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Improved High Velocity Cannon
  
• Three Man Turret
  
• Radio
  
• Additional Machine Gun
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 1
owned: 0
The Type 5 Chi-Ri was one of the last prototype Japanese tanks of the war and showcased the direction the Japanese medium tank was heading being larger than the Chi-To, the prototype was armed with the same Type 5 75mm from the Chi To however this tank also included a 37mm in the Hull and featured an early auto-loading system for the 75mm. A Gasoline engine designed and licensed from Germany was used as the diesel developments had stalled due to the bombing campaign on the home islands.

Improved Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Welded Armour
  
• Gasoline Engine
  
• Improved High Velocity Cannon
  
• Three Man Turret
  
• Radio
  
• Auto Loader
  
• Small Cannon
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 560
owned: 0
The Type 61 designed during the 1950's and beginning production in 1961, the tank was armed with a rifled 90mm that featured a T shaped muzzle break on the end which I used the improved heavy cannon to kinda feature the higher piercing over the American 90mm's although you could use the squeeze bore module with the Heavy cannon instead and remove one of the additional machine guns. This would make a great end to the Japanese line although you could go further with the Type 74's although those are much more advanced and can't really be replicated in the game.

Modern Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Welded Armour
  
• Gasoline Engine
  
• Improved Heavy Cannon
  
• Modern Turret
  
• Radio
  
• Smoke Launchers
  
• Additional Machine Gun
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 4
owned: 0
The Type 95 Heavy Tank would be the only Japanese Heavy tank design till near the end of the war as this was testing the idea of multi turrets but wouldn't be that successful as smaller vehicles were chosen instead of these prototypes. The tank would feature a 70mm main gun with the addition of one machine gun turrets and one 37mm cannon turret., there was also an additional rear machine gun for the main turret.

Basic Heavy Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Close Support Cannon
  
• Three Man Turret
  
• Small Cannon
  
• Heavy Machine Gun
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 1
owned: 0
The O-I Super Heavy Tank was designed and a supposed incomplete prototype was build and fought during the Soviet invasion into Manchuria. Due to the secrecy of the project not much is known about the tank other than it's armaments being a Type 92 105mm Field Gun, two 70mm turret cannons and a rear machine gun turret. The tank was apparently 100 tons but a 120 ton variant was being designed and the tank had quite thick armour for a Japanese tank of up to 150mm's.

Super Heavy Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Gasoline Engine
  
• Medium Howitzer
  
• Three Man Turret
  
• Radio possibility
  
• Small Cannon
  
• Small Cannon
  
• Heavy Machine Gun

produced: 1
owned: 0
The Type 5 Ho-Ru was a prototype tank destroyer based upon the Ha-Go but looked like a smaller hetzer, it used the Type 1 47mm as it's main armament.

Basic Light Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Basic High Velocity Cannon
  
• Light Fixed Superstructure

produced: 26
owned: 0
The Type 1 Ho-Ni I is the first of the three Ho-Ni series and features a 75mm which is based on the Chi-Ha chassis, this one features a open top superstructure which differentiates itself from the later Ho-Ni III

Basic Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Improved Medium Cannon
  
• Light Fixed Superstructure

produced: 31
owned: 0
The Type 3 Ho-Ni III is the last of the three Ho-Ni series and features a 75mm which is based on the Chi-Ha chassis, unlike the first Ho-NI this one has an enclosed superstructure which for Japan i made the Medium Fixed Superstructure as the difference for.

Basic Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Improved Medium Cannon
  
• Medium Fixed Superstructure

produced: 1
owned: 0
The Type 97 Chi-Ha Long Gun is a Chi-Ha that featured a long 120mm naval gun which was open top however to make it work in HOI IV a medium fixed superstructure is needed for the Heavy Cannon so the light superstructure cannot be used.

Basic Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Heavy Cannon
  
• Medium Fixed Superstructure

produced: 0
owned: 0
The Type 2 Ku-Se was a proposed design for a tank destroyer variant of the Chi-He which never went past the design stage but would of featured the same gun as the Ho-Ni I.

Basic Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Improved Medium Cannon
  
• Medium Fixed Superstructure

produced: 0
owned: 0
The Type 4 Ka-To was a proposed design for a tank destroyer variant of the Chi-To which never went past the design stage but would of featured a 105mm Anti Tank Gun.

Improved Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Heavy Cannon
  
• Medium Fixed Superstructure

produced: 2
owned: 0
The Type 5 Na-To was an open top tank destroyer based on a medium tracked carrier similar in size to the Chi To and was armed with the same 75mm gun found on the Chi To and Chi Ri.

Improved Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Improved High Velocity Cannon
  
• Light Fixed Superstructure
  
• Additional Machinegun

produced: 0
owned: 0
The Type 5 Ho-Ri was a pair of proposed design for a tank destroyer variant of the Chi-Ri which never went past the design stage but would of featured a 105mm Anti Tank Gun. the Ho-Ri I looked more like a Ferdinand and would of had an additional 37mm cannon in the hull whilst the Ho-Ri II looks more like a Jagdtiger.

Advanced Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Heavy Cannon
  
• Medium Fixed Superstructure
  
• Additional Cannon (Ho-Ri I)

produced: 1
owned: 0
The Type 4 Ho-To was a light SPG designed on the Ha-Go armed with a 120mm Type 38 Howitzer which only one was built.

Basic Light Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Medium Howitzer
  
• Light Fixed Superstructure

produced: 1
owned: 0
The Type 95 12cm SPG is a Heavy SPG developed in the early 1930's on the Type 95 Heavy Tank's chassis it features a 120mm Howitzer.

Basic Heavy Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Medium Howitzer
  
• Light Fixed Superstructure

produced: 31
owned: 0
The Type 2 Ho-I was armed with a 75mm Howitzer although this means it would only have the Close Support Gun being essentially the Panzer IV short barrel of Japan but improved the armour over the regular Chi-Ha to make it different to the Chi-Ha 57.

Basic Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Close Support Gun
  
• Three Man Turret
  
• Additional Machine Gun

produced: 1-10
owned: 0
The Type 97 Chi-Ha Short Gun featured a short barrel 120mm howitzer with a dozen or so tanks made of this variant.

Basic Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Medium Howitzer
  
• Three Man Turret

produced: 54
owned: 0
The Type 1 Ho-Ni II was a SPG variant of the Ho-Ni series which is based on the Chi-Ha chassis with open top superstructures. This one features a Type 91 105mm Howitzer whilst the other Ho-Ni's use 75's.

Basic Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Medium Howitzer
  
• Light Fixed Superstructure

produced: 54
owned: 0
The Type 4 Ho-Ro is another Chi-Ha SPG variant featuring a 150mm Type 38 Howitzer being one of the larger Howitzers fitted onto a Japanese Tank.

Basic Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Improved Medium Howitzer
  
• Light Fixed Superstructure

produced: 4
owned: 0
The Type 4 Ha-To was an open top self propelled mortar armed with a 300mm mortar but since there is no mortar weapon either using a Heavy Howitzer or Rocket Launcher modification would be the best fit for this vehicle

Improved Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Heavy Howitzer/ Rocket Launcher
  
• Medium Fixed Superstructure

produced: 1
owned: 0
The Type 97 Ki-To was a Anti-Air variant of the Te-Ke which features a single Type 98 20mm that didn't enter production with only one prototype made.

Basic Light Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Anti-Air
  
• One Man Turret

produced: 1
owned: 0
The Type 98 Ta-Se was the first anti-air variant of the Ke-Ni which was armed with only a single Type 98 20mm but was deemed to small to be a viable anti-air platform.

Improved Light Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Welded Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Anti-Air
  
• Two Man Turret

produced: 1
owned: 0
The Type 98 So-Ki was another anti-air variant of the Ke-Ni this time featuring a twin Type 2 20mm anti-air gun but just like it's predecessor it didn't enter mass production.

Improved Light Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Welded Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Improved Anti-Air
  
• Three Man Turret

produced: 182-184
owned: 0
The Type 2 Ka-Mi is an amphibious tank based upon the Ha-Go featuring a 37mm cannon and two machine guns, these would of been commonly used in the Pacific war during naval invasions from Japan.

Basic Light Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Small Cannon
  
• Two Man Turret
  
• Additional Machine Gun
  
• Additional Machine Gun
  
• Amphibious Drive

produced: 12-19
owned: 0
The Type 3 Ka-Chi was based upon the Chi-He chassis as an amphibious tank designed as the next step up from the Ka-Mi for amphibious warfare. It features the same armaments as found on a Chi-He.

Basic Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Basic High Velocity Cannon
  
• Three Man Turret
  
• Additional Machine Gun
  
• Additional Machine Gun
  
• Amphibious Drive

produced: 1
owned: 0
The Type 5 To-Ku was the largest of the amphibious Japanese tanks using a Chi-Ha Kai turret and Chi-Ri suspension but was not completed by the end of the war with an unfinished prototype near completion. Unlike the Ka-Chi this vehicle also includes a small additional 25mm gun on the hull above the floats.

Basic Medium Chassis

• Bogie Suspension
  
• Riveted Armour
  
• Diesel Engine
  
• Basic High Velocity Cannon
  
• Three Man Turret
  
• Additional Machine Gun
  
• Additional Machine Gun
  
• Small Cannon
  
• Amphibious Drive

If I have missed any tanks please do comment.

Other nation guides:
Allies:
United Kingdom
United States

Axis:
Germany
Italy

Comintern:
Soviet Union