First generation The first production of the Type 73, known as the was based on the
Jeep CJ-3Bs that
Mitsubishi Motors had been producing under license from
Willys. The first Type 73 Kyūs had been placed into production in 1973 with the chassis of the
Jeep CJ-3B for basis before they made modifications based on it to create the
Mitsubishi CJ-3B-J4 and the
Mitsubishi CJ-3B-J4C before it was replaced again by producing the
Mitsubishi CJ-5A-J54. Both gasoline and diesel variants were produced and a total over 200,000 units were made. Production continued on before it ended in 1997 The Kyūs had been exported out of
Japan, mostly declared as
military surplus vehicles to the
Philippines They have also been exported to
New Zealand for civilian use. due to concerns that
Iraqi guerrillas would target their vehicles to
provoke JSDF troops who, under the restrictions of
Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, are not supposed to participate in any kind of offensive combat operations. File:JGSDF 73 Kogata Truck (MITSUBISHII) 4.jpg|Transmission sticks inside a Mitsubishi Type 73 light truck Shin. On the left is the shifter for the automatic transmission, and on the right is the shifter for the
transfer case (2WD H, 4WD H, 4WD H+Lc, 4WD L+Lc). File:JGSDF 73 Kogata Truck (MITSUBISHII) 3.jpg|Instrument panel File:Mitsubishi Type 73 Light Truck.jpg|The side and rear of the Mitsubishi Type 73 light truck Shin. File:JGSDF Type73 Kogata Truck (camouflage) 20100110.JPG|A Mitsubishi Type 73 light truck Shin outfitted with a M2 heavy machine gun and camouflage at Camp Narashino. ==Design==