Design shows flag of Japan, red and white in centre, in front of Olypic rings. 29 x 45 mm.
| CATALOGUE TOKYO |
| VIGNETTES / SEALS |
| By mid-1938, the Tokyo Olympics had been cancelled because of the Sino-Japanese war, and so far as it is known, only six types of delightful commemorative publicity seals, without any postal value, with Olympic rings and the text "XII OLYMPIAD TOKYO 1940" surivie as mementoes of the aborted Games. These vignettes are difficult to obatin, and just as difficult to research as most data was lost long ago, or was never even recorded. |
| 001 | XII OLYMPIAD TOKYO 1940 |
|
Design shows flag of Japan, red and white in centre, in front of Olypic rings. 29 x 45 mm. |
|
| 002 | XII OLYMPIAD TOKYO 1940 |
|
Design shows outline of a mountain in blue above the Olympic rings in their correct colours. 39 mm Ø. |
 |
| 003 | XII OLYMPIAD TOKYO 1940 |
|
Design shows a large cherry blossom in pink, with Olympic rings in their correct colours superimposed over the blossom. 34 x 49 mm. |
 |
| 004 | XII OLYMPIAD TOKYO 1940 |
|
Design shows a lblooming cherry blossom tree on left, a pagoda on right, text and rings above. |
 |
| 005 | XII OLYMPIAD TOKYO 1940 |
|
Design shows lights on Tokyo's famous bridge the Nihombashi with Mount Fuji and rings in the background. Olympic text below. 40 x 61 mm. |
 |
| 006 | XII OLYMPIAD TOKYO 1940 |
|
Printed by the Japanese Government Savings Bureau. Design shows "2600" among Japanese text across top, and Olympic rings across centre. Multicoloured. 27 x 17 mm. |
 |
| 007 |
|
Unissued savings stamps, printed by Japanese Postal Savings Bureau, multicoloured. |
no image available at the moment |
| 008 |
|
Private seal from Osaka Savings Bank (now Osaka Bank) |
no image available at the moment |
| 009 |
|
|
 |
| The issue date of the preceeding vignettes / seals are uncertain, but the following chronology will suggest certain limits. | |
| 31. 07. 1936 | I.O.C. awards the 1940 Olympic Games to Tokyo (36 to 27 against Helsinki) |
| 06. 12. 1936 | Japan's Communications Ministry establishes an Olymoic Telecommunications Preparatory Committee. |
| 24. 12. 1936 | Japan Olympic Organising Committee established. |
| 09. 06. 1937 | I.O.C. awards the 1940 Olympic Winter Games to Sapporo. |
| 07. 07. 1937 | Sino-Japanese War begins in the outskirts of Peking. |
| 14. 07. 1938 | Welfare Ministry decides the Games will have to be abandoned. |
| 15. 07. 1938 | Cabinet announces the "suspension" of the 1940 Games in Tokyo. |
| 16. 07. 1938 | Organising Committee resolution relinquishing the 1940 Games. |