Till now I have seen the Type Hei Automatic Rifle as the only viable candidate out there. But I recently came across the SIG KE7. It was exported to the Republic of China and was used during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It could very well be a tech tree unlock for Japan just along the lines of the FN 1930 (which is a gold order weapon). Instead of making some fictional AR for Japan I think this is the best we can do until China is added as a separate faction in-game.
SIG KE7
Production Information
Country of Origin: Switzerland
Manufacturer(s): SIG, Huaxing Machine Factory
Designer(s): Pál Király and Gotthard End
Year(s) Designed: 1924
Production Began: 1929
Production Ended: 1938
Technical Specifications
Weapon Type: Light machine gun
Caliber: 7.92Ă—57 mm Mauser
Action: Recoil-operated
Length: 46.6 inches (118 centimetres)
Barrel Length: 31.5 inches (80 centimetres)
Weight: 7 pounds (7.7 kilograms)
Feed System: 25-round detachable box magazine
Cyclic Rate: 550rpm
History
From 1924 to 1929, Pál Király and Gotthard End collaborated on a series of prototype self-loading rifles and machine guns, known as the “KE” series. The KE7 was the only of these designs to see production. A limited quantity was produced in 1929 and offered for international export sale. It was purchased by the Republic of China and the Spanish Republic, and saw use in the contemporary conflicts of those respective countries. The KE7 was also submitted to Swiss and British machine gun trials, but was adopted by neither country. Chinese copies of the KE7 were produced at the Huaxing Machine Factory.
Design
The KE7 was a recoil-operated light machine gun that fired from a open bolt. The handguard of some variants also acted as a bipod and folded open when necessary; other variants had separate bipods fitted. The weapon was also offered with a monopod fitting on the underside of the stock.
Source: SIG KE7 | Gun Wiki | Fandom