I have a bisque figurine that is marked on the back "Made in Occupied Japan" What years was Japan occupied ?

Question

Were manufacturers required to stamp this on their products and does it make them more valuable? Who occupied Japan and for how long?

Answer 1

A short internet search reveals the following info:

At the end of the Second World War, Japan was occupied by the Allied Powers, led by the United States. This was the first time since the unification of Japan that the island nation had been successfully occupied by a foreign power. The San Francisco Peace Treaty, signed on September 8, 1951, marked the end of the Allied occupation, and when it went into effect on April 28, 1952, Japan was once again an independent state.
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Following the end of World War II in 1945 and until 1952, items imported from Japan to the United States had to be marked in a fashion indicating they came from Occupied Japan. Although four different marks were used on cups and saucers during this time ("Japan," "Made in Japan," "Occupied Japan," and "Made in Occupied Japan"), only the last two marks guarantee the pieces were made in the Occupied Japan timeframe. For serious Occupied Japan collectors, it is items with these two marks for which they search.

Answer 2

I had a pair [and lost] of German-style beer steins tagged the same way. Hang onto them...may be worth a bit. Star.