An Interesting Rare Japanese Pre War - WWII Waseda University Type 38 Student Trainer in good condition with a dirty bore. The action appears to function properly with heavy patina to the original finish and some cosmetic blemishing to the stock. The stock is marked on both sides in kanji reading "Waseda University Student", (reverse side) "student soldier", (on either side of the flag)"service" and "must win". The stock is adorned with a national "meatball" flag and what appears to be a worn Waseda university crest on the underside of the stock. The reason apparently that the "meatball flag was painted and not the rising sun flag was because the students doing military training were not yet in the military. Waseda University is one of the most prominent and historically renowned universities in Japan and was founded in 1882. During the war the school was bombed and rebuilt in 1949. From what we understand Waseda's school policy was more relaxed compared to other central Tokyo universities before and during the war, allowing students to appropriately decorate certain school trainers. This is an interesting and historically significant piece of Japanese history.