Osaka Mint 1948 Calendar medal variation.

[bagerap]

I have handled a number of these medals in the past, all of which had an identical reverse. My new one, pictured against the blue background, is different. Can anyone translate for me please?

[eurocoin]

Let's start with the easy part (the lower part of the lettering):

三和銀行 translates to 'Sanwa Bank'. It was a Japanese bank headquartered in Osaka that existed from 1933 up until 2002.

The translation of the other part of the lettering is going to be more difficult. 

[bagerap]

Thank you. Perhaps this was created as an advertising piece, very much the way Austrian Mint calendars often were.

[eurocoin]

After some searching I was able to identify 汗 as a word meaning 'sweat' which confused me a bit as I thought it strange for a calendar token. After some further searching I came across a Japanese website which describes the lettering on these 2 pieces. At the bottom of the page there are links to access different pages of their site on which all calendar medals of the Osaka mint have been catalogued.

汗で復興貯蓄で再建 The other sentence on the right token is something like "Rebuilding with sweat [and] reconstruction funds" which was the slogan of the Sanwa Bank at the time. It should be seen in light of the post war era.

The token on the left has on its reverse a quote of Lucius Annaeus Seneca, "Time Discovers Truth" with underneath it his surname.
時は真理を発見す
セネカ

[bagerap]

Exemplary research. Many thanks.
The medal has now arrived and the seller did himself no favours with the photograph. It looks much better in hand.

[eurocoin]

I am glad you are happy with the information. With the help of someone who speaks Japanese I have now made a slight amendment to the translation of the slogan. Only the characters inside the 3 circles at the center remain a mystery. I was told they are in Japanese seal script which is quite difficult.