The Japanese rifleman has had a focused training regime that emphasises the spiritual aspects of fighting, such as certainty in victory, loyalty, and patriotic duty. The spirit of the offensive is instilled in every soldier, and tactical training concentrates on infantry combat and hand-to-hand fighting.

The average rifle platoon is armed with either the 6.5mm Type 38 rifle or the more powerful 7.7mm Type 99 rifle. Infantry platoons are also typically armed with the 50mm Type 89 Grenade Discharger also known as the 'knee mortar.' This American nickname was based on the misconception that the weapon could be fired from a kneeling position by placing the curved baseplate over the thigh - a misconception that led to at least one American serviceman receiving a compound fracture of the femur!