I've been thinking about pacific theatre gaming a bit more recently, and while I haven’t got anything planned at the moment, I’m putting together a few rough weapon and kit lists for Japanese forces. Hopefully the lists will prove useful, both for Japanese players and those allied players who wish to use "captured" Japanese weapons. I've used Ian Hogg's "Infantry Weapons of WW2" as a reference.
Please feel free to add links to airsoft suppliers of the weapons and any corrections below.
The original source (and therefore copyright status) of many of the pictures is unknown; if you posses the copyright to any of them, and would like them removed, please get in touch and I will do so immediately.
The list is for historical and re-enactment purposes only and is completely non-profit.
Cheers,
-Matt
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Pistols
Browning M1910 (7.65)
Used by: Navy/SNLF
Airsoft version available: No
Nearest substitute: Browning Hi-power
Hamada 7.65
Used by: Navy/SNLF
Airsoft version available; No
Nearest substitute: Chrome Colt m1911, small automatic pistols.
Meiji 26 Revolver
Used by: reservists, home defence units, some NCO’s in the pacific.
Airsoft version available: No
Nearest substitute: Small airsoft revolvers.
Taisho 04 (Nambu)
Used by: No-one officially, bought privately by officers.
Airsoft version available: No
Nearest substitutes: Luger, ruger, Marushin Type 14 nambu.
http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/a ... archResult
http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/a ... odID=25444
Taisho 14 (Nambu)
Used by: No-one officially, bought privately by officers.
Airsoft version available: Yes
Nearest substitutes: Luger, ruger,
http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/a ... odID=25444
Type 94
Used by: Air Force, occasional use by infantry.
Airsoft version available: No
Nearest substitutes: Cz75, P38; WW2 automatic pistols.
http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/a ... odID=20704
http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/a ... odID=14582
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Rifles
Arisaka 38
Used by: Everyone
Airsoft version available: Yes
Nearest Substitutes: any internal magazine mauser based rifle.
http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/a ... odID=23792
Arisaka 99
Used by: Everyone
Airsoft version available: Yes
Nearest Substitutes: any internal magazine mauser based rifle.
http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/a ... odID=22741
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As neither of the Japanese Smg’s are currently being made in airsoft versions, I suggest the use of captured weapons in this role.
http://www3.plala.or.jp/takihome/smg.htm
Sub-Machine guns
Type 100/40 and Type 100/44 (Nambu Type III B Machine pistol)
Used by: paratroopers, infantry later in the war.
Type 100/40 - 450 rpm
Type 100/44 - 800 rpm. No bayonet bar.
Airsoft version available: No
Nearest substitutes: Sten.
Sten to Type-100 conversion guide:
[link]http://www.ww2airsoft.org.uk/php/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=9471[/link]
Bergmann "Type BE" SMG (7.63 Mauser, MP.34/I and MP18)
Used by: Special Naval Landing Forces (marines)
Airsoft version available: No
Nearest substitute: Sten
Type II Machine Pistol
Used by: Army, Navy, not in great numbers
Airsoft version available: No
Nearest substitute: Heavily modified Uzi, MP7, sten or Mac10/11
Type II Model B
(Top one, bottom is the modern Uzi smg)
Use by: Prototype. Unknown if it ever saw combat
Airsoft version available: No
Nearest substitute: PPSh.
(Images for above two weapons from here:
( http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread. ... -Type-II-A)
I had to re-upload due to technical difficulties)
Beretta Model 1938
(top weapon)
Use by: SNLF
Airsoft version available: No
Nearest substitute: M14 with Uzi mag, PPSh.
Steyr Solothurn S1-100
Used by: SNLF. Unknown if army used it.
Airsoft version available: No
Nearest subsitute: Modded M14, PPsh, Sten etc.
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The only Japanese Mg available is the KTW type 96. For serious Japanese skirmishers, I suggest heavily modding A&K Minimi’s.
Machine guns
Taisho 11
Used by: Everyone, early war.
Airsoft version available: No
Nearest substitute: VFC BAR, airsharp browning M1919A6, RPK, ACM "Dragunov".
Type 92
Used by: everyone
Airsoft version available: No
Nearest substitute: Mini MK.1, airsharp browning M1919
Type 96
Used by: everyone
Airsoft version available: Yes, made by KTW.
Nearest substitutes: Shoot n’ scoot Bren
http://www.tokyo-model.com.hk/ecshop/goods.php?id=4851
Type 99
Very similar to type 96. Bren type flash suppressor, shorter gas tube.
Type 1 Heavy Machine Gun (Updated type 92)
Used by: All infantry
Airsoft version available: No
Nearest substitute: Converted FN MAG, Mini, M60
ZB Type LMG (used in both 7.92mm [straight mags] and 6.5mm [curved type 96 mags])
Users: Produced in china (manchukou), used by army and navy.
Airsoft version available: kind of
Nearest subsitute: Bren gun.
Other infantry weapons of note
Type 89 mortar ("Knee mortar")
Used by: all ground forces
Airsoft version avialable: Yes
http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/a ... odID=21060
Type 97 (20mm anti tank rifle. Semi auto, could be fired full auto in an emergency!)
Used by: Infantry
Airsoft version available: No
Nearest substitute: None.
Type 97 Sniper Rifle
Used by: Unknown, presumably all army/navy infantry units.
Airsoft version available: No
Nearest substitute: Tanaka Type 99 or 38 with turned down bolt and telescopic sight.
Type 2 Paratrooper Rifle
Used by: paratroopers
Airsoft version available: No
Nearest substitute: Tanaka Type 99
http://www.texastradingpost.com/militaria/type2.html
Type 5 Automatic rifle (7.7mm M1 garand clone, magazine rather than clip fed)
Used by: Prototype.
Airsoft version available: Kind of
Nearest substitute: Garand, M14.
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Use of Captured Weapons
The Japanese were prolific users of captured guns during the war. After the seizure of large amounts of rifles and equipment from the Chinese, Dutch and British, the equipment was put into service.
Semi-automatic rifles and submachine guns were most popular, especially Thompson M1928's captured from the Chinese, and M1 garands captured from the Americans but everything was put into service.
So impressed were the Japanese with the M1 garand, a clone was made towards the end of the war and put into production.
Basically, if the kit was in the area, it's OK to use it it with Japanese kit.
Good work, although Tanaka do make an Arisaka Type 99.
http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/airsoft/ProductDetail?prodID=22741
Type 96
Used by: everyone
Airsoft version available: Yes, made by KTW. Not sure where to buy from though.
Nearest substitutes: Shoot n’ scoot Bren
Here ye go. Not cheap though.
http://www.tokyo-model.com.hk/ecshop/goods.php?id=4851
Cheers guys, adeed to the list.
-Matt
What a wonderful list!
Thanks for this! 
Cheers mate. Updated with 2 more pistols; I can't find a pic of the hamada but it looks like a generic small polished steel automatic pistol.
-Matt
Edit: taisho 11 updated with more subsitutes; I don't think it would be hard to turn an RPK/ "Dragunov" clone into one with minium effort. A simple change of stock would make a massive difference.
2nd edit: Two more rifles added, smg's updated, HMG added.
Just hit the jackpot in terms of japanese weapons:
http://earth.endless.ne.jp/users/mac011 ... 0army.html
I can't get the site to translate, and I can't tell which weapons are experimental, what were issued etc but I've never come across most most of them, and they look rather interesting. I won't put them all up here, it'll take too long, but i'll any up that are close in appearence to existing airsoft weapons so people have an easier time finding substitutes.
-Matt
Couldn't get it to translate? You're not trying hard enough! 
My google-fu may be weak, but google's Japanese is weaker:
"Curse of the B and B is equipped with a single leg of a folding double bed. " 
Shame the submachine guns are missed out.
-Matt
Edit: list updated with the status of captured wepaons.
Updated with Type II submachine gun. Curious weapon, used in limited numbers.
I also found reference to other SMG's at least being tested by the Japanese, but exactly what wasn't made clear.
-Matt
Edit: updated with type II model B "Bullpup" and berrteta 38/43. Beretta was only purchsed in small numbers but exaples were captured gy allied forces, so it was used in combat.
Updated with better pictures, and details of type 5 automatic rifle, ZB type LMG and steyr-solothurn s1-100.
let me know what you think,
-Matt
Awesome list thank you Mikoyan99 
Just a couple more ideas, you may well be aware of them yourselves... but in any case.
Lanchester Submachinegun conversions are out there for type 100
Also Ruger Mk1 is a good base for Nambu type 14
Perhaps craziest of all my friend in Hokkaido is making special foam/latex replica models for type 38/99 shortsword/bayonets and Shin Gunto Yasukuni shrine swords... the sword replicas look more like Iaito... training swords in Japan they are popular but not sure if clubs would take them on board in UK I have heard of foam/rubber bayonets for Mosin and K98 rifles so maybe foam weapons for these are possibility. Will post more details when I get them 
