According to information published by the trafficnews.jp website on December 15, 2021, in December 2021, Japan Ground Forces have conducted field tests with the Finnish-made AMV XP designed and manufactured by the company Patria
Japan is in the process to replace its old Type 96 8×8 wheeled armored vehicle personnel carrier which is in service with the Japanese armed forces since 1996. The vehicle is produced by the Japanese company Defense Systems Division of Komatsu. In the Japanese army, the Type 96 is used as an armored personnel carrier vehicle for infantry units.
In September 2019, it was announced that Japan shortlisted three potential suppliers to acquire a new wheeled armored vehicle. On September 10, 2021, the Japanese Ministry of Defense’s Acquisitions, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA) has published the three candidates including General Dynamics Land Systems LAV 6.0, the AMV XP by Finland’s Patria and a local-made armored vehicle from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
In December 2020, Finnish company Patria had sent AMV XP 8×8 armored vehicle from Finland to Japan for test purposes. These vehicles were part of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force’s project called the Next Wheeled Armored Vehicle operating under the Japanese Ministry of Defense. The vehicles were handed by the Japanese Ministry of Defense.
Patria is selected as one of the competitors for the new 8×8 Wheeled Armored Personnel Carriers (WAPCs) project of the Japanese Ground Forces. The project had progressed to the test phase after which the Japanese Ministry of Defense will evaluate the vehicles.