[YOSHIMURA, KEN]. 吉村謙

満州日めくりカレンダー. [Manshū himekuri karendā]. A wall-mounted tear-off daily calendar issued in 1943 (Showa 18) as part of Japan’s wartime state propaganda.<BR> [Manchukuo Daily Wall Calendar].

大阪. [Osaka]. 株式會社日表協會. [Kabushiki Kaisha Hiomote Kyōkai]. Showa 18 [ 1943]. Stock ID #223935

Daily calendar for 1944, stapled firmly to the colour illustrated backing board (29.8 × 14 cm), the calendar measures 9 x 6cm. The calendar is complete, although the months of April, May and June have been bound in upside down. Each daily leaf bears not only the date and day of the week, but also a slogan. Sundays are distinguished by illustrations and slogans printed in red ink. Although some leaves exhibit a slight printing misalignment, this does not affect legibility. Tiny chip to upper cover of calendar and the vibrant pictorial colour image on the backing board shows a few ripples but overall this scarce ephemeral item is in very good condition.

This daily calendar is a very rare item from 1944, and it vividly represents the high level sense of urgency of wartime Japan. The colour illustration on the mounting board features a group of young children with their national flags. Two boys in army and navy uniforms carry Japanese flags. A Japanese rising-sun flag follows them. Manchukuo and the Nanjing Nationalist Government's flags are in the background, carried by Chinese children. They are marching from East Asia towards Southeast Asia and the Southwest Pacific as the sun rises in the background. Each sheet of daily calendar includes a propaganda slogan and some hints for daily life, such as economising on electricity and saving money. Sunday sheets are printed in red ink. The first sheet features four poems which celebrate a New Year and praise the Emperor's holiness.

The calendar clearly reflects the heightened sense of anxiety in Japanese society as the Pacific War lingers on and victory is not really in sight.

When referring to this item please quote stockid 223935.

Price: $375.00 AU

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