The standard issue 7.62×51mm NATO general-purpose machine gun of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Also known as the Type 62 GPMG. When first issued it fulfilled both light and medium machine gun support throughout the JGSDF.
Though the Sumitomo Heavy Industries-produced M249 SAW firing the smaller 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge has largely replaced it in the light machine gun role at the squad level in the JGSDF, the NTK-62 still plays the support role at platoon and company level for the infantry as a medium machine gun firing the more powerful cartridge. It also continues to be used as a co-axial weapon in various armored vehicles, including tanks and APCs. Like all modern Japanese-made firearms, it was never exported.
