Sumitomo Type 62

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	Weapon: Sumitomo Type 62 Type: General Purpose Machine Gun Country of Origin: Japan Year Adopted: 1962 Overall Length (mm): 1050.0 Overall Length (in): 41.34 Weight (kg): 5.00 Weight (pounds): 11.02

The Sumitomo Type 62 machine gun was Japan's first domestically designed general-purpose machine gun after World War II. Introduced in 1962, it was chambered for the NATO-standard 7.62x51mm cartridge and featured a gas-operated system with an air-cooled barrel, making it versatile for both sustained and burst firing. The design emphasized modularity, with components that allowed it to be deployed in various configurations, such as mounted on tripods or integrated into armored vehicles.

Produced by Sumitomo Heavy Industries, the Type 62 was manufactured in limited numbers compared to Western equivalents like the FN MAG or M60, primarily because it was designed specifically to equip the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF). While it served effectively as a standard-issue machine gun for several decades, it was criticized for being somewhat heavier and less reliable in adverse conditions compared to its foreign counterparts. Despite these issues, the Type 62 played a critical role in providing the JSDF with a modern automatic weapon during its formative years.

The notoriety of the Type 62 stems from its position as a symbol of Japan's rearmament and modernization during the Cold War. Though eventually phased out in favor of the more advanced Sumitomo Type 74 machine gun, the Type 62 remains a key milestone in Japanese firearms development. Today, it is appreciated as a collector's item and studied as an example of post-war military engineering tailored to Japan's unique defense requirements.