Tokyo Marui released its gas blowback version of the Type 20 5.56mm rifle, the newest service rifle of Japan's Self-Defense Forces, on August 5. It's licensed directly from Howa Industries, the company that designs and builds the real thing. Tokyo Marui calls it a "pure domestic" model, with every part made and assembled in Japan.

That same detail is the catch for anyone reading this from the Philippines. Tokyo Marui labels the Type 20 a product for distribution within Japan only. There's no official route to buy one here.

What the Howa license gets you

The upper receiver carries Howa's logo and a "MADE IN JAPAN" marking. Tokyo Marui says it worked with Howa on everything from the shape of small parts to materials, surface finish and weight balance.

The handguard and upper receiver are machined from extruded aluminum, and you can see a reproduction of the gas piston through gaps in the handguard. The lower receiver, stock and grip use fiber-reinforced nylon. The outer barrel is anodized and the levers, buttons and bolt get a plating meant to look like a parkerized finish.

Controls built for either hand

The bolt catch, selector and magazine release all work from both sides, and the charging handle can be swapped to the left or right. Push out the front and rear receiver pins and it breaks down like the real rifle.

The folding sights adjust for elevation at the front and for both elevation and windage at the rear. The stock has five length positions and the cheek piece has three height settings. There's also a working storage compartment in the grip and a dummy gas regulator you can turn.

The parts that make it shoot

Tokyo Marui used an oval piston to keep the bolt shape realistic while still getting a sharp gas blowback kick. Its Z-System protects the bolt catch from damage when the magazine runs dry. The hop-up dial sits beside the chamber, and you reach it by taking the rifle down.

The included magazine comes from Tokyo Marui's Type 89 GBB. It holds 35 rounds and is made of die-cast aluminum, with the shape of the round-count window reproduced on the left side.

Specs and price

  • Length: 779 mm, 851 mm with the stock fully extended
  • Barrel length: 200 mm
  • Weight: 3,300 g with an empty magazine
  • Capacity: 35 + 1 rounds
  • Fire modes: full and semi-auto
  • Ammo: 6mm BB, 0.2 to 0.25g
  • Power: Tokyo Marui Gun Power HFC134a or Non-Flon Gun Power
  • Price: ¥140,000 before tax (Japanese suggested retail price)

For expansion, the flash hider comes off with the included wrench and takes 14mm counter-clockwise muzzle devices. The M-LOK handguard ships with short and medium Picatinny rail sections, plus slot covers, and the top rail takes optics. A bullet-shaped takedown tool and a BB loader that pushes four rounds per press are in the box.

A flagship built for the home market

At ¥140,000, the Type 20 matches or beats the price of Tokyo Marui's other new rifles this year. It also shows how far the company will go for a rifle aimed squarely at Japanese buyers: a real license from the original maker, all-Japanese production and a parts list built around matching the real rifle. It's one to admire from afar unless you know someone heading home from Tokyo.