My wife came home with a little ceramic vase…which she purchasd at a yard sale. on the bottom was printed “Made In Occupied Japan”-presumably this means it was made in the period 1945-1953. Was it required that the japanese mark their exports to the USA in such a fashion? Does this imply any added value?
I was stationed in Japan during the Occupation, from 1949 to 1951. During this time, I married a Japanese girl from Kyoto. So, on our honeymoon, I assume she was “made in Occupied Japan.” 
(Made well, as we celebrated our 56th Anniversary last December.)
I just went to the opera last night–Madama Butterfly. That ended, as many know, sadly. Congratulations on your marriage–much longer, and I hope happier! (56 years–I’m in awe!)
Added value? Definitely, as collectibles. My mom collects Occupied Japan stuff, and I’ve picked up a few pieces over time. Search eBay for an idea of the seriousness of some collectors.
Did other occupied areas have similar labels? “Made in Occupied Germany,” for example?
I expect it’d say “Made in West Germany”.
West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) was created in 1949.
Bit of irony in this. When I was a kid, in the years after WWII, ‘Made in Japan’ meant cheap. Most of the stuff was trinkets, toys and incidental small items. The items were very inexpensive, pressed sheet metal, wood, paper and not very durable.
I can’t say how much added value the “Occupied Japan” would give it, but I can say with certainty it would be more valuable in America than in Japan. A friend of mine specialized in buying up what qualified here as “old crap” and selling them online in America as antiques (no dishonesty involved, 19th century just isn’t considered “old” here). He had an amazing collection of wartime items, including training uniforms, air-raid sirens, and hundreds of official documents that were tossed aside as worthless here but collectors in America were lining up to buy.