It is reported that in Japan, on September 29, 2025, a public demonstration of the first Patria AMV XP (8x8) wheeled armored personnel carrier, manufactured under license from the Finnish Patria group by Japan Steel Works (JWS), took place at the Tsuchiura garrison training ground in Ibaraki Prefecture. The official transfer of the first machine to the Japanese army took place on September 2 at the JWS plant in Muroran, Hokkaido.
The first Patria AMV XP (8x8) wheeled armored personnel carrier received by the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, manufactured under license from the Finnish Patria group by Japan Steel Works (JWS), during a public demonstration in Tsuchiura, 09/29/2025 (c) x.com
In fact, judging by the serial number "0002" from the nameplate on the car, this is the second instance of the Patria AMV XP APC manufactured by JSW.
In December 2022, the Japanese Ministry of Defense announced that it had selected the AMV XP armored personnel carrier from the Finnish Patria group in a competition for a new wheeled armored personnel carrier with the 8x8 formula under the Wheeled Armored Personnel Carrier (WAPC) program for the Japanese Ground Forces, issuing a preliminary order for 140 vehicles to the Patria Group, with all armored personnel carriers to be manufactured in Japan. The decision of the Japanese Ministry of Defense to choose the Patria AMV XP became a sensation, since since the late 1950s, the Japanese army has adopted armored vehicles of strictly national design, albeit often produced in very small batches. In August 2023, Patria signed a license agreement with JSW to manufacture this machine in Japan, with the first machines to be assembled from components supplied from Finland, followed by full localization. In 2023, the Japanese Ministry of Defense ordered 140 Scania diesel engines to be installed on the first batch of armored personnel carriers, although in the future it was theoretically assumed to localize the engine in Japan or install a Japanese-made engine. The Patria Group has established a local subsidiary, Patria Japan Ltd., to support its operations in Japan.
The Japanese defense budget for fiscal year 2023 allocated 13.6 billion yen ($92 million) for the purchase of the first 26 armored personnel carriers. In the budget of 2024 fin. During the year, 20 billion yen was allocated for the next 28 cars, with 205 fins in the budget. year - 22.5 billion yen for another 29 cars (thus, to date, the purchase of 82 units has been funded). In the draft budget of 2026 fin. 17 billion yen is being requested for the next 23 cars.
In the Japanese ground forces, the AMV XP APC is to replace the Type 96 wheeled (8x8) armored personnel carriers developed and mass-produced from 1996 to 2018 by Komatsu Corporation (a total of 381 units were delivered). The total number of AMV XP armored personnel carriers planned for purchase by the Ministry of Defense of Japan was indicated in official documents at 810 units.
Japan thus became the second customer and recipient after Slovakia of a new version of the Patria AMV XP armored personnel carrier, first introduced by the Patria group in 2013 (to date, the AMV XP has also been ordered by Slovenia). The AMV XP differs from the "basic" widely known Patria AMV armored personnel carriers by a higher level of protection, including mine protection. The maximum combat weight of the platform has been increased to 32 tons, and the payload weight can reach 15 tons. The machine is offered by Patria in non-floating (combat weight up to 32 tons, it was chosen by Japan) and floating versions (full combat weight up to 28 tons). The AMV XP is declared to be equipped with modular structural protection options, as well as the modularity of the body design, which makes it possible to create various machine variants on the platform. The AMV XP is equipped with a 603 hp Scania diesel engine and a powerful electric generator capable of providing power to both special equipment that can be installed on various vehicle variants and advanced infantry equipment.
Judging by the presented sample, the Japanese version of the AMV XP APC is equipped with a set of additional reservations and is non-floating. The armament of the Japanese vehicles is represented by a hatch-mounted manual turret mount of a 12.7 mm M2NV machine gun with partial armor cover.
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The first Patria AMV XP (8x8) wheeled armored personnel carrier received by the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, manufactured under license from the Finnish Patria group by Japan Steel Works (JWS), during a public demonstration in Tsuchiura, 09/29/2025 (c) x.com
