太平洋戦争終戦復興期時代の記念切手　概説

1945年（昭和20）8月、日本は連合国にボツダム宣言の受諾を通告し、太平洋戦争は終結した。日本はアメリカ軍中心のGHQに占領され、１９５１年９月のサンフランシスコ講和条約締結（１９５２年発効）まで、独立国としての主権を失った。この間、日本はGHQによる新憲法制定、財閥解体、労働改革および農地解放と預金封鎖・新円切り替え・財産税課税など、多くの占領政策の下、民主国家として経済復興を遂行した。但し、戦後の日本のインフレーションは他の国と同じように強烈で、日銀の卸売物価指数によると、１９４５年から１９４８年までの３年間で約６０倍となった。切手の額面もそれに比例して急激に値上がりした。１９５０年に朝鮮戦争がはじまると日本は後方支援の役割を演じ、軍需物資供給などにより戦後復興は大きく前進した。また、戦後制限されていた重工業や輸送機器などの清算が緩和されたことも、戦後の経済復興に大きな効果をもたらしたことも事実である。この時期に発行された日本切手は、戦前の天皇と軍事衷心から大きく変化し、平和や産業復興をテーマにしたものが多く発行された。しかし、１９４７年から１９４９年迄は、小さな地方切手展覧会を記念する切手等の乱造濫発が続いた時期もあった。しかし、逓信省（郵政省）は、日本の戦後通信復興にいち早く着手し、国民の安否確認や食糧確保及び産業復興に多大な貢献をしたことは、後世に語り継がれる大きな功績である。

Outline of commemorative stamps during the reconstruction period 

after the end of the Pacific War

In August 1945 (Showa 20), Japan notified the Allies of the acceptance of the Botdam Declaration, ending the Pacific War. Japan was occupied by the US military-centeredGHQ and signed the San Francisco Peace Treaty in September 1951 (1952).It lost its sovereignty as an independent country until it came into effect. During this period, Japan carried out economic recovery as a democratic nation under many occupation policies such as the establishment of a new constitution by GHQ, the reform of labor for dismantling conglomerates, the liberation of farmland, the blockade of deposits, the switching of new yen, and the taxation of property taxes. However, postwar inflationin Japan was as intense as in other countries, and according to the Bank of Japan’s Wholesale Price Index, it increased about 60 times in the three years from 1945 to 1948.The face value of stamps also rose sharply in proportion to it. When the Korean War began in 1950, Japan played a role of logistical support, and postwar reconstruction made great strides due to the supply of military supplies. In addition, the relaxation of the liquidation of heavy industry and transportation equipment, which had been restricted after the war, had a great effect on the postwar economic recovery.The Japanese stamps issued during this period changed significantly from the prewar emperor and military ethos, and many were issued with the theme of peace and industrialreconstruction. However, from 1947 to 1949, there was a time when stamps and other stamps commemorating the small local stamp exhibition continued to be overrun. However, the Ministry of Communications (Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications) was one of the first to embark on the reconstruction of Japan’s postwar communications, andmade a great contribution to the confirmation of the safety of the people, food security, and industrial reconstruction, which is a great achievement handed down to posterity.