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Half sheet
1950 (Showa 25) public relations poster from the Kyoto Prefectural Government. Titled "Prefectural Administration News: Special Tax Payment Issue," it was designed to encourage citizens to pay their taxes to support post-war reconstruction.
Key Details of the Poster
The Message: The top heading translates to: "Before welcoming the new tax system, let’s pay off all previous taxes as soon as possible."
The Budget: The center shows a total budget of 4,733,180,000 yen.
Budget Breakdown (Charts):
Revenue (Top Circle): Highlights that Prefectural Taxes make up about 39.8% of the income.
Expenditure (Bottom Circle): Shows that Education (38%) is the largest expense, followed by Industrial Economy (13.6%) and Health/Sanitation (12%).
Visual Contrast
The poster uses "Before and After" style illustrations to persuade the public:
Left Side (If taxes aren't paid): Depicts a grim society with broken bridges, crime (a thief with a knife), and poverty. It warns that "All projects will remain unfinished."
Right Side (If taxes are paid): Shows a prosperous society with children happily going to school, farmers harvesting crops, and a family enjoying a meal. It claims this leads to a "bright and happy world."
This is a fascinating piece of graphic design from Japan's reconstruction era, showing how the government used visual storytelling to rebuild the economy. |
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