4×4S.ORGTHE REGISTRY NAMED MODEL · 1953–98
NAMED MODELJapan

Mitsubishi Jeep J3.

The CJ-3B and later CJ-3B-derived Jeeps built under licence by Mitsubishi for the Japan Self-Defense Forces and civilian sale from 1953 to 1998, the J3 of 1953 being the first.

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Sources & evidence
Mitsubishi Jeep J3 — Mitsubishi Jeep J3 photographed in Japanese Famous Car Museum of Uminonakamichi Seaside Park, Fukuoka, Japan攻殼機動隊員 · CC BY 4.0 ↗
BASE VEHICLEJeep CJ-3BBUILT BYMitsubishi Heavy Industries / Mitsubishi MotorsIN SERVICE1953–98OPERATED INJapanPRODUCTIONAbout 200,000 Mitsubishi Jeeps of all typesLAYOUT4 wheels · 80″

The record

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries won the 1951 National Police Reserve contract that Toyota’s BJ lost, and from 1953 built the CJ-3A and then the CJ-3B under licence at Nagoya as the J3, with the F-head Hurricane and, from 1956, Mitsubishi’s own diesels. The J-series grew to the J20 to J50 range and the Japan Self-Defense Forces’ J24 and J25; the last civilian J55 was built in 1998, the longest run of any CJ-3B derivative.

Specification

MANUFACTURED1953–98 (Mitsubishi Jeep line)
ENGINE2.2-litre Hurricane four; Mitsubishi 2.7-litre 4DR5 diesel from 1962
PRODUCTION RUNAbout 200,000 Mitsubishi Jeeps of all types
COUNTRY OF ORIGINJapan
OPERATED INJapan
STATUSout of production
RECORD KINDNamed model
MODEL LINECJ
FAMILYCJ
WHEELS4
NOMINAL WHEELBASE80″

Catalogue fields describe the vehicle's structure and body as this registry records it. They are not certified factory measurements, and no performance figures are published here.

Variants & colours

Base model variants

AI rendering impression

An AI rendering impression starts from a 3D model of this vehicle, which an image model then paints into a scene. It is an artist's impression of the type, made to give a feel for the vehicle in its element — not a photograph, and not a record of any particular vehicle.

Proportions, fittings, markings, colours and the setting can all drift from the original in the process. For the vehicle's actual details, rely on the specification, the photographs and the cited sources on this page.

Sources

  1. 1Mitsubishi Jeep ↗Wikipedia · accessed 2026-09-22SOURCE
  2. 2Jeep CJ ↗Wikipedia · accessed 2026-09-22SOURCE

Registry record updated 2026-09-22 · status: researched