Manchukuo Development Labour Service Commemorative Badges/満州建設勤労奉仕紀念章

The "Labor Service Corps for Manchuria's Development/満州建設勤労奉仕隊" was established in 1939 fo the supply of labour in Manchukuo. Its formation was mainly initiated by the government of Manchukuo and executed by the Japanese government under the control of the Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Ministry of Colonial Affairs. It lasted from 1939 until 1945. Up to 10 000 unpaid volunteer workers were sent to Manchukuo each year to help develop civilian and military infrastructure. The workers were young Japanese university and high school students between the ages of 18 and 23 years. Working in special "student units" they would help with road and airfield construction, agricultural training and land reclamation. Medical students would gain experience in the hospitals and clinics.​

Labor Service Corps were issued commemorative badges for the participants of its "programs".

Let's take a closer look at each of these badges.


1939 badge.

Obverse

満州建設 - Manchukuo Development

勤勞奉仕紀念 - Labour Service Commemorative

reverse

康徳六年 - 6th year of Kangde era = 1939

滿洲帝國 - Empire of Manchuria

Marked 純銀 - pure silver.

 

Original.

満州建設 - Manchukuo Development

勤勞奉仕紀念 - Labour Service Commemorative

 

The only known manufacturer of these badges was Mori Yoko workshop.

Badges, labels and marks of Mori Yoko workshop/森洋行

森洋行 - Mori Yoko was one of the main manchurian manufacturers of badges and medals. It had two main branches. One in 奉天 - Mukden and the other in 大連 - Dalian. Standard workshop advertisement insert. Mori Yoko building in the 1930s. In 2015.

asiamedals.info

Another cased set with Mori Yoko insert.

 

1940 badge.

Same obverse inscription as on previous badge.

Reverse

康徳七年 - 7th year of Kangde era = 1940

滿洲帝國 - Empire of Manchuria

Original case.

 

At least two different stamps of the badge are known and several color variations of cases and interiors

 

Mori Yoko advertisement inside.

 

Another color variation of lodgement.
Photo courtesy of the owner.

 

Case surface variation and different stamp.

 

1941 badge.

Same obverse inscription as on previous badges.

Reverse

康徳八年 - 8th year of Kangde era = 1941

滿洲帝國 - Empire of Manchuria

Original case.

Mori Yoko advertisement inside.

 

1941 badge from the Ministry of Education.

Reverse

2601 = 1941

満州建設勤労奉仕隊 - Manchukuo Development Labour Service Corps

参加記念章 - Participation Commemorative Badge

文部省 - Ministry of Education

Original case.

 

1942 badge.

Reverse

康徳九年 - 9th year of Kangde era = 1942


満州建設勤労奉仕隊 - Manchukuo Development Labour Service Corps

 

1943 badge.

Aluminium alloy and cold enamel/paint. Typical late war badge.
Previous badges were made in heavy metal and with hot enamel.

Reverse

康徳十年 - 10th year of Kangde era = 1943

参加記念章 - Participation Commemorative Badge

満州建設勤労奉仕隊 - Manchukuo Development Labour Service Corps

Original case.

 

Badges of Manchuria and Mongolia Volunteer Corps.

1st variation.

Obverse

満蒙義勇軍 - Manchuria and Mongolia [Manmō] Volunteer Corps [Army]

廣島縣 - Hiroshima Prefecture


2nd variation.

Different stamp.

 

Manchuria and Mongolia Volunteer Corps poster from Mie Prefecture.

Cover of brochure published by Asahi Shimbun in 1939.

満蒙開拓 - Manchuria and Mongolia Development
青少年義勇軍 - Youth Volunteer Corps

Poster designed by Tsuguharu Foujita.

來れ興亞の健兒 - Come, Kenji of Koga (name of the marching song)

満蒙開拓青少年義勇軍 - Manchuria and Mongolia Development Youth Volunteer Corps

藤田嗣治 - Tsuguharu Foujita

Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita (藤田 嗣治, Fujita Tsuguharu, November 27, 1886 – January 29, 1968) was a Japanese–French painter and printmaker born in Tokyo, Japan, who applied Japanese ink techniques to Western style paintings. At the height of his fame in Paris, during the 1920s, he was known for his portraits of nudes using an opalescent white ink with fine black outlines and his pictures of cats. He returned to Japan in 1933, and served as a war artist for the Imperial Japan during World War II. After the war, Foujita returned to France, where he became a French citizen and converted to Christianity. He was buried in The Chapel of our Lady of Peace, which he had helped build and is painted with his frescoes.​

Poster from Nagano Prefecture, circa 1940.

北満の沃野へ!! - To the fertile fields of North Manchuria!!

We Are a Young Volunteer Corps /我等は若き義勇軍/ song.

Boys from Nishitani Elementary School (Hyogo prefecture) who joined Manchuria and Mongolia Development Youth Volunteer Corps, circa 1940.
They are wearing sashes of Volunteer Corps.

 

Obverse

満蒙開拓 - Manchuria and Mongolia [Manmō] Development

義勇軍 - Volunteer Corps