WWII Japanese Army EM/NCO Early War Canteen

The canteen is an early war example, with a leather stopper retention strap, a stopper with a metal cap, and with the stopper strap and the fabric shoulder strap all having metal adjustment buckles. The leather stopper strap, the metal topped cap, and the metal adjustment buckles were all features that were eliminated shortly into the war as a means to conserve strategic resources. Both the shoulder strap and the base of the canteen have indistinct issue date stamps. The exterior paint is largely intact. The metal components of the canteen exhibit some surface rust, consistent with use in a tropical environment. Overall the canteen is in excellent field used condition.