Like elsewhere in imperial Japan and its dependencies, machine cancellations for New Year were used for 1936, 1937, and 1938 (Showa 11, 12 and 13). Shown are postcards in my exhibit “Cancellations of Japanese Offices in Korea (1876-1945)” to JAPEX 2019, scheduled for November 15-17, 2019, in Tokyo. The ones for 1936 and 1937 are shown in Figure 1, the one for 1938 in Figure 2.
The two covers in figure 1 are (left) from 1936 “Crane with pine leaves” (Inchon, Showa 11 (1936).1.1) and (right) 1937 “Straw rope decoration” (Kwanghwamun, Showa 12 (1937).1.1).
The 1938 one, depicting “decorative rice cake”, is occasionally seen in mistaken use in 1939 and even 1940, as seen here. To the left is a cancellation from Busan (Showa 14 (1939).1.1). To the right is one from Hungnam (Showa 15 (1939).1.1).
