One of the most important dive-bombers in the Japanese arsenal in its campaign in the Pacific War, the prototype Aichi D3A, known by the Allies as the Val, was first flown in January 1938 with a 530 kw (710-hp) Nakajima Hikari I nine-cylinder radial air-cooled engine.

In 1937 the Japanese Navy sought the design of a three-seat reconnaissance floatplane, and a specification was issued to a number of aircraft manufacturing companies.