The Kyushu J7W1 Shinden (meaning "Magnificent Lightning") was the only canard-configured aircraft ordered for mass production during World War II, and it was one of the most unique aircraft designs to come out of Japan. The concept for this distinctive configuration originated with Captain Masaoki Tsuruno of the Japanese Navy's Technical Staff. Captain Tsuruno envisioned replacing the rear-mounted radial engine driving a six-blade propeller with a turbojet engine.

In 1943, the Japanese recognized an imminent threat on the horizon: the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Development of this powerful bomber had begun in 1939, and the Japanese were certain it would eventually be deployed against their homeland. However, they faced a significant challenge—they lacked an effective way to counter the B-29 and feared they wouldn’t have a solution ready in time. The answer to this problem came in the form of one of the most innovative interceptors ever to see operational use.

The Kawanishi H8K flying boat, developed under the Navy Experimental 13-Shi Large Flying Boat specification, was a remarkable achievement of Japanese aeronautical engineering during World War II. It was intended to surpass the capabilities of earlier models like the Navy Type 97 Flying Boat, as well as contemporary Allied designs like the Short Sunderland and Sikorsky XPBS-1.