EF64-1000 type electric locomotives, which are based on EF64-0 type electric locomotives, were developed in order to replace EF58 and EF15/16 operated on the "Joetsu" line and entered production in 1980.

The brake performance on EF64-1000 had to be modified from the EF64-0 because of the difference of incline between the "Joetsy" line and the "Chuo" line where the EF64-0 was opperated.