Production of the tank did not begin until 1943, due to the higher priority of steel allocated to the Imperial Navy for warship construction.

All of the tanks produced were allocated for the defense of the Japanese home islands, against the anticipated Allied Invasion.

After 1941, the Imperial Japanese Army quickly realized that its 1930s designed medium tank, the Type 97 Chi-Ha, was inferior to the 1940s generation of Allied armor, such as the M4 Sherman.

[5] However, production did not begin until 1943, due to the higher priority of steel allocated to the Imperial Navy for warship construction.

[2] The tanks carried 120 rounds of ammunition with both armor-piercing and armor-piecing high explosive shells.

[12] All Type 1 Chi-He tanks were allocated to the Japanese home islands to defend against the projected Allied Invasion.

It used the Type 1 Chi-He hull and was armed with a 75 mm gun in an open casemate with light frontal armour only.

[19] The open casemate was in the same shape as the one used on the Type 1 Ho-Ni I. Japanese tanks of World War II