Japanese marking?

[Jon]

Can anyone read this kanji? Found on the back of an Okaya dekatron - I'm guessing it's some kind of batch or selection designator, but can't pin it down.

Thanks,

Jon.

[BLEEPIN FIREMAN]

The kanji on there say "43 Shima" Shima(島) being the character for island.
Looking at other Japanese tubes, I am inclined to believe that it's since form of lot identification. However, the information is scant, even in Japanese so it's just a theory.
If you have anything else in Japanese, I can translate it

[Oscilloclock]

That’s right about the kanji meaning. It could refer to the lot or factory even.

But just maybe it is the first kanji in someone’s name (like 島田) who did the QC on it? Pure conjecture, of course.

By the way this was fun (but nothing new probably):
http://kawoyama.la.coocan.jp/okayamusen%20rodanelentronics%20parts.pdf

- Aaron

[Jon]

Thanks both of you - that fits with my original thought. It's not normal for this type of tube to be marked like that, so I'm assuming this one was part of a special lot or batch for some reason. There's nothing else about it which seems particularly remarkable.

Jon.