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Japan
Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition Covers

1957 Cover Commemorating the Landing of the South-polar Observation Party from Japan

The first Japanese Antarctic expedition to the Ross Sea area was led by Lt. Nobuo Shirase in 1910-1911 however it was not until 1957 that Japan established a research base known as Prince Harald on East Ongul Island in Norway's Queen Maud Land. Now known as Syowa, the base has been occupied continuously except from 1962 to 1965. The cover pictured above commemorates the landing of the JARE (Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition) at the site. The English text of the insert in the cover reads:

Commemorating the Landing of the South-polar Observation Party from Japan

In 1957, the International Geophysical Year, the south-polar regions are to be surveyed on a global scale, in which Japan will be a participant. In commemoration of this epoch-making expedition, the Japanese Ministry of Postal Services has decided to have a post-office in the Japanese observation ship "Soya" during her lying close to the shore of Price Harald situated in the top of the world, with the object of stamping a commemorative post-mark on some commemoration day from the observational view-point, so as to weer [sic] the requirements of the philatelic mania throughout the world. The picture on the cover represents a beautiful daybreak on the antarctic continent.

Insert to cover commemorating the landing of the south-polar observation party from Japan
insert to cover commemorating the landing
of the south-polar observation party from Japan

International Geophysical Year FDC
First Day Cover for Japan's 1957 International Geophysical Year
commemorative depicting the globe, a penguin and the research ship Soya

1958 Cover Commemorating Second JARE Expedition
1958 cover for the second JARE voyage

1980 Cover with Syowa Postmark
1980 cover with 1976 Green Tree Frog Conservation Issue stamp postmarked Syowa


Bibliography

Pendleton, Steve. "Japan Sails South." Philatelic American. Nov. 2015: 1024-1030.

"Japan." Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue. 2008.


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