 Roughly a decade after the creation of the Japanese Self Defense Forces, the Defense Agency decided to make a domestically designed and manufactured main battle rifle to replace the aging M1 Garand rifles that had been given to them by the United States.It was developed by Howa Heavy Industries and eventually was produced in large numbers beginning in 1964 under the direction of General Kenzo Iwashita, who had a hand in designing the rifle.The Type 64 was given official trademark rights in 1964 on behalf of Howa with the rights granted in 1966.