 In March 1942 the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service chose Tachikawa Aircraft Company to design and build a new heavy twin engine transport aircraft with a focus on increased range, power and speed to carry light tanks, field artillery and troops.Shinjiro Shinagawa was in charge of the development and began work in March 1943 and had the first prototype completed by September 1944.Like Tachikawa's Ki-77 the aircraft featured a laminar flow airfoil.