Vintage Colonial Man Figurine Made in Occupied Japan 3 1/4" Tall.  Very Good Condition - no chips, scratches or stains.  Colors are vibrant.  Face has excellent detail.

By the end of WWII, Western Allied forces occupied Japan from September 1945 until April 28, 1952. Losing the second World War devasted the Japanese economy and the Japanese ceramic industry was one of the first to be revitalized.  In February 1947, General Headquarters, administrative arm of the American occupying forces, ordered all products made for export to be marked “Occupied Japan” or “Made in Occupied Japan” to track their movements across the globe and have become coveted by a large number of collectors. It also assured American consumers of Western supervision, soothing their initial reluctance to patronize the former axis nation. 

Although Made in Occupied Japan pieces weren’t high scale, there was a peaked interest in the 1960s. Western forces leaving the region took keepsakes back to their home countries, bringing attention to the modest reproductions.  Thousands of inexpensive figurines and knickknacks were exported to the United States and elsewhere in the late 1940s and early 1950s.  By the 1980s – 1990s, the collection of Made in Occupied Japan items skyrocketed, making some people form a group – The Occupied Japan Club – involved in all things Made in Occupied Japan.