Questions arise when looking at war-era booklet for Japanese stamps
I have a booklet / folder/ mini-album of stamps from Japan that I would like to learn more about. The stamps are common World War II-era stamps, but it’s the presentation booklet that leaves me asking questions.
The cover (Figure 1a), with the title “Commemorative Stamps Issued During the War,” presents the imagery of tranquility: a cloud in the shape of a white dove, another dove in the air, pink flowers (chrysanthemums?) and a cursive “Japan” and banners containing the dates “1942” and “1944.”
Figures 1a & 1b: The front and back cover of a mini-album with space for 14 stamps issued by Japan during World War II.
Page 2 – titled “The Japanese Commemorative Stamps issued during the war” – has a table of contents and a box at the bottom noting the publisher as the Japan Travel Bureau (Tokyo) and the producer as the Japan Stamp Club (Nagoya).
Curiously, at the bottom of Page 2 (Figure 2) there are Japanese symbols which have been double-lined through, possibly at the time of printing.
Figures 2a & 2b: The inside contents page and a close-up of redacted Japanese writing found at the bottom of Page 2.
There are seven internal mini-chapters, each with titles for notable events, such as “The Fall of Singapore” and “The 10th Anniversary of the Founding of Manchukuo.” Each chapter page includes two stamps issued during the war. Most of the booklet is in English, though there are some Japanese characters.
The stamps are not hinged, but carefully glued, using just the very top of the stamps’ gum. The booklet contains the following stamps, in order of their issue, per Scott number: B4-B7, 343-350.
The back of the booklet (Figure 1b) has an imprint for the “Japan Stamp Club” and “Nagoya Co.” combined.
Figure 3: A slogan on the inside back page of the mini-album.
The inside back cover (Figure 3) has a logo for “Kankosiia, a special service department of the Japan Travel Bureau – a supply source of the souvenir goods to all 8th Army special service hotels … Tokyo.”
I wonder if this was printed in Japan right after the war or many years later. Who was the target audience? Considering some of the events highlighted and cover design, it seems like the events are presented as positive things, which hardly jibes with the idea that the U.S. 8th Army would have something to do with this publication. Also, as Kenneth Bryson points out in his article about Japan stamps in the June issue, the kikumon, the chrysanthemum flower emblem symbolizing the emperor’s authority, appeared Japanese stamps until it was removed in 1947, yet, here it is on the front of this booklet.
Was this for the Japanese, American or foreign audience and would that indicate where it was distributed? Are there any philatelists who can tell me more about this booklet? Please send any thoughts, hints, and clues to jstage@stamps.org