Abstract: In a swash plate type axial piston pump, a swash plate 23 is fixed and supported in a cabinet while being inclined with respect to the center axial line of a rotary shaft 3. A cylinder block 15 having a plurality of cylinders 13 is attached to the rotary shaft 3 so that the cylinder block 15 slides of the rotary shaft 3 in the axial direction thereof and is rotated integrally therewith. Each one end of a plurality of pistons 21 is slidingly engaged with the cylinder 13 and the other end thereof is abutted against the swash plate 23 through a shoe 25. A valve plate 31 having a suction port 33 and a discharge port 35 is disposed so as to be abutted against the inner surface of the cabinet 1 and the bottom the cylinder block 15 so that a suction path 39 and a discharge path 41 in the cabinet 1 are selectively communicated with a pump chamber 14 in each cylinder through the suction port 33 and the discharge port 35.