![]() ![]() They served during the “Manchurian incident” in 1931, with the 1st Tank Unit of the 12th Division. In 1919, thirteen Renault FTs were bought, the most common tank of the day worldwide, which became the mainstay of the early infantry tank force, under the name of “FT-Ko”. In 1921, the IJA acquired a few British Mark A Whippets, which became the first Japanese tanks, and around 6 machines were duly tested and used in maneuvers until 1930. It was widely demonstrated to the Japanese public who had never seen a tank before, and served as a study guide for Japanese engineers in building their own tanks. Japan’s first tank was this Mark IV Female imported from the United Kingdom in 1918. Officers found themselves acutely aware of the tank development by the western powers, and the military junta quickly purchased several machines abroad. The results and costs of the campaign were not well appreciated back home and, in this context, the need for tanks emerged. However, after the Bolshevik Revolution, the Japanese sent 70,000 troops into Siberia, in order to support the White Russians. The navy emerged as an almost independent institution and played a minor role within the drama of WWI, but the army saw little action.
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