Patriot Coal in Wartime (Miners' New Obligation to Bring out a Mass of Coal More than 1 kg Every Time They Exited the Pit, Which Was Imposed on June 24, 1943)
1958 - 1963

Senjichu no Hokotan (Showa Juhachinen Rokugatsu Niju Yokka Shoko no Toki Ichikiroguramu Ijo no Sekitan o Motte Agaru)
[Patriot Coal in Wartime (Miners' New Obligation to Bring out a Mass of Coal More than 1 kg Every Time They Exited the Pit, Which Was Imposed on June 24, 1943)]
20.9 x 30.0 cm Ink Painting

Text at the Bottom
From June 24, 1943, the patriot coal system was started, and all pit workers working underground were obliged to bring 1 kg or more of extra coal when they went up to the surface after finishing their jobs by an order from the Fukuoka Mine Inspection Office. Perhaps the government intended to make the people in the coal pits more patriotic through this obligation.
However, miners at small-scale coal pits like Ito Coal Pit could not fully carry out this task. This pit did not adopt the long wall method of coal mining, and there was little spilt coal for the miners to pick up. But if they went up from the pit with no extra coal, they were considered unpatriotic, and so they went to great length to find spilt pieces of coal.
As there was no leftover coal around coalfaces, some miners robbed safety coal pillars of coal (mimikagi: uwamekuri). Some crafty ones pulled out coal masses from other miners' loaded mine cars before going up to the surface. Therefore, the coalfaces of the pit fell into ruin. This obligation for the cultivation of the national spirit was like finding a needle in a haystack, because the task to bring extra coal when going up from underground (agarimiyage) seemed to be a vain effort for the pit workers tired from heavy work.
It was said that coal mine owners aimed to make money to buy military aircraft by selling this dedicated patriot coal, and they dedicated the aircraft to the government, naming them Tanko Hokoku-go (Coal Mine Patriot No.) or Yama no Aikoku-go (Colliery Patriot No.).

Text at the Top Left
This man is proudly ascending from underground all in a sweat, shouldering a big mass of coal which he took the trouble to cut. I have seen some extremely patriotic men like him.

Lettering on the Signboards
Nagao Kogyosho Ito Tanko:
Nagao Kogyosho (Mining Station) Ito Coal Mine (Pit)
hokotan: Patriot Coal


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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