5 Sen - Shōwa

Japan's wartime metal shortages forced a cascade of compositional substitutions through the early 1940s, and by 1945 the tin-zinc alloy used for this issue reflected near-total exhaustion of aluminum and copper stocks. Production continued into 1946 despite Japan's surrender in August 1945, as occupation authorities allowed limited coinage to continue while SCAP monetary policy was being established. Many pieces from the 1945-dated strikes were produced in the final chaotic weeks before and immediately after the surrender.

The JNDA designation 01-44 places this among the last indigenous Japanese minor coinage before American-supervised redesigns took hold.