Why does Chinese law decide the status of Manchukuo stamps?

Because China has always claimed Northeast China and never recognized Manchukuo. Chinese copyright law limits corporate copyright to 50 years from publication, so any copyright in Manchukuo stamps, issued from 1932 to 1945, ended by January 1, 1996 at the latest. In the archive's reading every Manchukuo stamp is therefore public domain.

Are Port Arthur and Dairen overprints on Manchukuo stamps public domain?

Unclear. The Port Arthur and Dairen postal administration overprinted Manchukuo stamps between 1946 and 1949, after Manchukuo was dissolved. Wikimedia Commons covers only stamps issued by the government of Manchukuo and does not say whether these overprints fall under the same reasoning, so the archive treats the question as open.

Manchukuo

Are Manchukuo stamps public domain?

Yes: Manchukuo stamps of any date are public domain, in the archive's reading of Wikimedia Commons. China never recognized Manchukuo, and Commons says any copyright in its stamps expired by January 1, 1996 at the latest, under China's 50-year term for corporate works. The archive therefore uses no cutoff year for these stamps.

Why any date?

Commons reasons from Chinese law. China has always claimed Northeast China and never recognized Manchukuo, and Commons asks that a Manchukuo file be free in both China and the United States.¹ Commons' license tag for Manchukuo stamps cites Article 23 of the Copyright Law of the People's Republic of China, which limits corporate copyright to 50 years from publication, and says the government that held any copyright no longer exists.² Commons adds that it is no longer known who designed the stamps, and it concludes that any copyright expired no later than January 1, 1996.¹ Every Manchukuo stamp is covered by that date, so the archive answers Yes for all of them.

Postal history and copyright

Manchukuo was set up in 1932 after Japanese troops occupied Northeast China and was dissolved by the Soviet Union in 1945, according to Commons.¹ It issued its first stamps on July 26, 1932, and its last on May 2, 1945. After 1945 local postal authorities handstamped remaining stocks with "Republic of China" in Chinese, and the Port Arthur and Dairen postal administration overprinted Manchukuo stamps between 1946 and 1949, according to Wikipedia.³ Commons' tag covers stamps issued by the government of Manchukuo. It does not say whether the later handstamps and overprints fall under the same reasoning, and the archive treats that question as open.¹

References 3

↑ Copyright rules for Manchukuo. Wikimedia Commons, June 9, 2021. Accessed October 8, 2026.
↑ Wikimedia Commons license tag (Manchukuo). Wikimedia Commons, April 1, 2026. Accessed October 8, 2026.
↑ Postage stamps and postal history of Manchukuo. Wikipedia, October 21, 2025. Accessed October 8, 2026.

The rule by period

PeriodRule

Any datePublic domain: any copyright expired by 1996.In the archive's reading every Manchukuo stamp is public domain, because any Chinese copyright in it ended by January 1, 1996.

Manchukuo stamps and the public domain: questions

Are Manchukuo stamps public domain?: Yes, at any date. In the archive's reading, any copyright in Manchukuo stamps, issued from July 26, 1932 to May 2, 1945, expired by January 1, 1996 at the latest under China's 50-year term for corporate works. China never recognized Manchukuo, so Chinese law decides the question.
Why does Chinese law decide the status of Manchukuo stamps?: Because China has always claimed Northeast China and never recognized Manchukuo. Chinese copyright law limits corporate copyright to 50 years from publication, so any copyright in Manchukuo stamps, issued from 1932 to 1945, ended by January 1, 1996 at the latest. In the archive's reading every Manchukuo stamp is therefore public domain.
Are Port Arthur and Dairen overprints on Manchukuo stamps public domain?: Unclear. The Port Arthur and Dairen postal administration overprinted Manchukuo stamps between 1946 and 1949, after Manchukuo was dissolved. Wikimedia Commons covers only stamps issued by the government of Manchukuo and does not say whether these overprints fall under the same reasoning, so the archive treats the question as open.