The Nakajima Ki-12 (中島 キ12, Ki-jyuni) was a private development Nakajima Aircraft Company after its failure to meet the 1935 requirement issued by the Japanese government for a modern single-seat monoplane fighter with the Ki-11 design.
Design work on the Ki-12 was a collaboration between engineers Roger Robert and Jean Beziaud from the French Dewoitine firm and Shigenobu Mori, a Nakajima engineer, and was heavily influenced by the Dewoitine D.510 design.
The IJAAF also felt that the design was lacking in maneuverability, and would not want to rely on the manufacturing licence for the Hispano-Suiza engine.
[2] Although the Army declined to pursue the project, Nakajima continued to refine the design, introducing a simpler version styled the Nakajima Type P.E., which evolved into the successful Ki-27 "Nate" several years later.
Data from Famous Airplanes of the World, first series, #76: Army Experimental Fighters (1)[3]General characteristics Performance Armament