A small hint from Dwigt in the Developer Diaries video EU forum thread indicated that something new for Japan will likely be coming by the end of the year. Note: this is just speculation so take it with a grain of salt.
leggasiini, on 12 May 2022 – 02:46 PM, said:
Last time Japan got a single new tank (this includes even premium tanks) was September 2015…is it really that hard to introduce even a single new Japanese tank? I guess Japan really doesn’t exist for WG anymore (outside of maybe the STB-1). Man. 
On the bright side, the Italian TDs are at least something that also have been requested for quite a while, so there’s that. Their concept also looks quite interesting – there’s no doubt that there’s basically nothing like them in the game. Will be interesting to see how they’ll turn out.
Dwigt, on 12 May 2022 – 03:24 PM, said:
I was waiting and expecting your comment and I’m partially glad that part of your wish is coming later this year 
All I can tell you for now is to keep that faith.
I don’t see any hints to be honest. Dwigt mentions “part of your wish”, and leggasiini does mention he’s been asking for Italian TDs as well. I believe Dwigt is talking about them.
they’ll probably sell a premium Jap TD or HT in the Christmas boxes
“Might”…..
Well, I might win the lottery.
I does not look certain.
Well, at least there’s plenty of historical designs that were actually built for Wargaming to use.
http://forum.worldoftanks.eu/index.php?/topic/643469-japanese-td-line-proposal-v20/
But hey, at least that’s one way of getting autoreloader TDs into the game using known historical designs.
On the other hand, I expect we just get the tier 3 Ke-Ni Otsu as a gift tank after having been in the game files for half a decade.
I would not be surprised if WG eventually split that line idea into casemate, like the one from WoT Blitz, and open top glass-cannons, I can totally see them adding the Ka-To at Tier 9 or 10 armed with a naval 140mm gun like the one they gave the Type 5 superheavy
You do realise it would be highly unusual for the IJA to use anything that the IJN would be using, right? Inter-service hostilities and all that. Especially with the 14cm/50 3rd Year Type being in active service on many cruisers and battleships.
this is why caregully reading makes the whole difference, I wrote «I would not be surprised», I did not write «this could’ve happened» or «WG should do this»
I also wrote «a naval 140mm gun like the one they gave the Type 5 » because for WG “politics” do not matter
one thing I believe we can sort of be sure of, in the last couple of years WG has tried to avoid adding new lines with large gameplay differences from Tier to Tier, it would be highly unlikely to see a glass-cannon like the Ka-To in the Ho-Ri line
the most probable action is we will get the Ho-Ri line and maybe a LT line based on the lighter STA designs – even lighter than the ones we have as mediums – and maybe we will see the Ka-To as a Tier 8 premium with no connection to any other line
the Japanese super-heavy tank line is highly hated by the playerbase, I would not be surprised if instead of the Japanese TD line we saw the new fake heavy line teased for WoT Blitz
that line will have a mix of real but obscure tanks – Chi-Se -, mashups between 2 real but MOSTLY unknown/obscure interwar heavy tanks – Mitsu-104 and Ishi-108 – and something WG claims existed but no one else ever wrote about it , the so called “Type 71”
That’s because the Type 71 was based off an idea where the JGSDF would not have to play with weight limits due to their bridges and stuff. But since Japan has a smegton of bridges with a 50t weight limit or some such…
Even today they went for a lighter MBT after the Type 90 being too chungus.
Also, the Chi-Se is a development of the Type 5 Ho-Ri and the Type 5 Chi-Ri where they use the improved hull design of the Ho-Ri with the large turret of the Chi-Ri to mount a 10cm cannon.
The Mitsu and Ishi are way older designs that don’t look anything similar to the Chi-Se.
again, read it carefully first
I know the Mitsu and Ishi are not related to the Chi-Se, however there are videos showing the new line, the mashup between the Mitsu and Ishi is the first
well, at least we assume it is a mashup because they named it Mitsu 108 and we know the real thing was designated Mitsu 104
about the Type 68 and Type 71 I won’t go down that rabbit hole, I will only say that none of the amateur researchers that revealed the secrets of the STA and STB programs have ever mentioned the existence of heavier concepts, not even as ideas, this was particularly important because at one point WG made it public they did not want to add the O-I line and the heavier concepts could have been the solution
Yes, sorry, my bad.
I blame a distinct lack of coffee along with a haste to get to Militracks 2022.
Now, the Ishi-108 is a very different design to the Mitsu-104, being basically the Japanese version of the Vickers A1E1 Independent. The Mitsu-104 was actually a far more practical design, which was also actually built, tested, and put on Allied tank recognition guides. https://tankandafvnews.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/medium-tanks-and-spg.jpg
So with Wargaming, the Mitsu-104 is a “what if” logical progression if the tank wasn’t deemed a failure. (I got David Lister’s book about them, btw)
So that makes the “entire” branch a bunch of wargaming fakes. But as long as they are balanced and more playable than the IJA Super Heavies, I’ll accept them in the game. :/
All-in-all, I’d be happy if wargaming hasn’t completely forgotten the nation exists.
«Yes, sorry, my bad.
I blame a distinct lack of coffee along with a haste to get to Militracks 2022.»
no problem
the early model can be seen here
« https://youtu. be/8DdUP0dbhv8 »
*this includes EVEN TECH TREE TANKS
fixed that for you, since TT tonks are not WG’s favourite content.