Well, they have to be since Japan seems to be attacked by Godzilla, Mothra, Robot Kong and various robotic creatures from the androgynous terrorist group Spectra.

Well if you want to imagine just where this is going, then check out the 1st season of Ghost In The Shell Stand Alone Complex.

One of the 1st episodes is about a brilliant kid who transfers his mind into a new military super tank and goes on a slight rampage, all the way back to his home no less.

The team stops the tank right at the porch of his home.

Uhh what about this tank is smart, exactly...?
Neither this article or the linked one has any info..

and the linked article doesn't even have info about the tank.

Not a bad little tank the 120mm seems a little on the short side... but oh well.

you know, the last time the japanese started building an army...

Finally some military tech on io9.

Um, what's the name of the tank so I wiki that thing...

Ha... I google news searched for japanese tank.. and found one hit.. this site...

Is this real? Were did we get our info?

I'm no expert on tanks, but compared to our (US) arsenal of tanks, the barrel on this Japanese version seems short.

It looks like the type 90, [www.fas.org] with a new turret - maybe even the old turret with a new armor package, like the Leopard 2A6.

It appears to have a lot of good new sensor gear, like the M1A2 SEP. Seems like that might even be the same intergrated commander's sight unit.

You guys realise that Japan has had a smallish (actually, the Air Force and Navy [ASDF & MSDF] are pretty big) but high-quality military for about 40 years, right? They're one of our staunchest allies, too - no threat here.
-Kle.

can it only be piloted by a 14-year old boy with a pure heart?
if not, we are no where near Gundam ready.

@Klebert: The slope of the front lateral portions of the turret seem to suggest a new turret.. Actually the slope of the front of the body seems to be a slightly different one than the original type 90.. I am not sure if it is a new armor platting or a whole new system with a similar frame...

@Biggrz:
Funny I thought the same thing, but both tanks use the same gun the Rheinmetall 120 mm Gun L44...
There is a longer L55 but only the Germans (and the South Koreans) are using it... Damn Germans!

@DocGratis: I should add that I ment the type-90 uses the same gun. I don't know about this mistery tank, but the barrel looks similar..

Oh and wiki has a stub on the MBT-X the next gen tank for japan.. and it will either use the 120mm L44 or the longer 120mm L55...

[en.wikipedia.org]

@Biggrz: Japanese tanks typically have a slightly shorter barrel than big sexy american tanks.

@ManchuCandidate: Bu wHA haha... ahem...

Where can I get one? And does it come in black?

@DocGratis:
Yeah, it might be a different turret, or just a whole new (similar) vehicle. I'm not sure - the picture looks sort of stretched to fit a different format, or something. The 'segmented' look of the turret sides implies some sort of applique armor, though.
-Kle.

"9.42 meters long, 3.24 meters wide, and 2.3 meters tall" plus weaponry specs does SCREAM high tech and/or Gundam. (??)

@avconsumer: Hahaha what are you saying? That meters aren't high tech?

@Annalee Newitz: No lasers? =(

mmm sweet miltech

Doesn't have to be big or able to accomodate 4 or so troops, but the mecha pilot and flaming sword, or so I've taught to expect.

Nice, looks like a cross between a Chinese Type 99 and an Israeli Merkava.

I do love all things Gundam, but we won't have things like that anytime soon, what with the complexity of the Minkovsky reactor and all.

But one day........beam sabers, anyone?

Looks like it's development designation is TK-X; here's some more info [www.janes.com] .

At only 40 tons, I'm guessing that outer layer of turret armor is some sort of ceramic like on the Stryker. Still 40 tons doesn't scream 'heavily armored' nowadays.
-Kle.