The Type 95 Ha-Go was Japan's second indigenous tank design, and designed to provide fire support for the infantry since the earlier Type 89 was too slow to keep up. As a light tank it was considerably advanced for its time, having greater firepower than equivalent US designs of the mid-1930s, and also being the first major tank design in the world to be fitted with a diesel engine. Armament consisted of a Type 94 37-mm gun, a caliber that would feature prominently in light tank designs of World War II, but was superior to the machine-gun turrets of the pre-war years. However, the small one-man hull meant that the commander was overburdened, being forced to serve as gunner and loader as well. The hull of the Type 95 was of both riveted and welded construction and featured relatively light armor. Interestingly, it was also provided with a layer of asbestos in order to keep interior temperature down. Suspension was of a simple bell crank type and proved to be somewhat unreliable in rough terrain due to the tendency to generate severe pitching (this was subsequently modified in later production units). The Type 95 and its variants saw extensive action in the Khalkhin Gol conflict against the USSR, as well as in China, Southeast Asia and as static defenses in the Pacific during World War II. Their main success came in surprising British forces during their retreat in Malaya in 1941-42, terrain that had been considered impassable for armored units.

The prototype of a new light tank was developed at the Sagami Arsenal in 1934, and production of the Type 95 He-Go followed was undertaken by Mitsubishi, where it was called the Ke-Go, as well as other factories. Modification of the troublesome suspension resulted in the so-called Hokuman version, while later units were upgunned with two Type 97 machine guns. The Type 3 Ke-Ri featured a revised turret housing a Type 97 57-mm gun but did not enter production, instead, some existing tanks were modified to use the turret of the Type 97 Chi-Ha tank (with the Type 97 gun) and were known as the Type 4 Ke-Nu. An amphibious version was known as the Type 2 Ka-Mi and is covered separately. Prototype self-propelled guns and tank destroyers were also built, while non-tank variants included the Type 95 Ri-Ki engineering vehicle and Type 95 So-Ki armored railroad car.