WW2 Japanese Naval Landing Force Named Officer’s Mapcase

This is a nice,  larger size, Japanese World War II Special Naval Landing Force officers leather mapcase with shoulder strap.

These can be easily distinguished from the Japanese army mapcase in that Navy mapcases do NOT  have a star on the front. Conversely, all Army mapcases have a star, just like their helmets & caps. Navy map-cases were left blank, without a star.

This one is named to MUNEISUGU INOUE. Yes, we have seen Japanese names written in English on equipment before.  Japan had many schools & universities teaching English, the language of business, before and during the war.

Japanese officers carried map cases for two reasons. One, they were a status symbol in this size. The Petty Officer and NCO carried small mapcase style pouches.  Two, they carried maps, pens, pencils, protractors, and other distance measuring tools.

The leather often is soft and supple.

These are extremely rare.