Banknote Japan 100 Yen - Shotoku-taishi - Yumedono Pavillion - ND (1945) - Block 54 with stamp

The stamps on certain Japanese banknotes from 1945 were used to control monetary exchanges and prevent counterfeiting. Towards the end of World War II, Japan faced a shortage of materials to produce new banknotes. To address this situation, fiscal stamps were used as a temporary measure.

Fiscal stamps were affixed to existing banknotes to increase their face value, thereby compensating for the decrease in purchasing power due to inflation. The banknotes were stamped with official government stamps, usually placed on the back of the note, to indicate the additional amount added.

This method was adopted as a quick solution to cope with the challenging economic situation at the end of the war. However, due to the complexity of handling stamps and difficulties in controlling them, this practice was only used for a relatively short period before being discontinued.

Thus, the stamps on Japanese banknotes from 1945 were a temporary measure to address the shortage of materials for new banknote production and maintain monetary stability during that tumultuous period in Japanese history.