It entered service in 1932 and was the standard Japanese heavy machine gun used during World War II.

Designed by Kijiro Nambu and built by Hino Motors and Hitachi, its total production was about 45,000 guns.

[4] Type 92 refers to the Japanese Imperial year 2592 – 1932 in the Gregorian calendar – in which the gun entered service.

It was nicknamed "the woodpecker" by Western Allied soldiers because of the characteristic sound it made when fired due to its relatively low rate of fire, and the "chicken neck" (Chinese: 雞脖子) by Chinese soldiers due to its appearance.

The tripod was designed with removable carry poles, so that the weapon could be transported fully assembled for quicker deployment.