This article and reference tables are designed as a quick-lookup for matching Japanese JA and JC codes to factory manufacturers and export brand badges. For deeper background and in-depth historical articles, I highly recommend checking out Double Veil and the Victorian Sweatshop Forum, where much of this baseline research originates.

This guide is an active work in progress. I am working line-by-line to verify and refine these entries by studying machine photos shared across the community, specifically checking arm badges, logos, and underside bed castings posted by collectors. Special thanks to the members of the Victorian Sweatshop Forum, the Vintage Japanese Sewing Machines group, and the Vintage Sears Kenmore and White Sewing Machines group. Your real-world machine photos make validating these codes possible.

Understanding the Origins Behind the JA and JC Codes

At heart, the machines in this table are clones of the Singer 15-30, a design standardized in the 1890s featuring an oscillating shuttle, a Class 15 bobbin with a prominent position finger, and 15×1 needles. (Note: Don’t confuse this with the 1880s Singer 15-1 “Improved Family,” which ran a completely different long-beak shuttle and small bobbin.) Because Singer’s original patents had expired decades earlier, Japan faced no legal barriers when adopting the design as the HA-1 standard in 1947. Simple, rugged, and interchangeable across manufacturers, it was the ideal design to mass-produce.

Japan’s sewing machine industry was already well-established. Domestic parts production began in 1908, the Pine factory opened in 1921, and the first fully Japanese machine was produced as early as 1921. After WWII, manufacturers like Brother and Mitsubishi shifted from industrial wartime production to home machines. A confluence of empty factories, surplus tooling, skilled labor, government aid, and high American demand allowed light industrial exports to thrive.

To protect export quality and international reputation, the Japanese government introduced strict regulatory oversight: the Export Goods Control Law of 1948, and the 1959 Light Machinery Export Promotion Law, which required registered factories to stamp export heads and castings with the LJ mark and JA/JC codes.

By 1957, Japan was outproducing Singer, and its machines were finding buyers around the world. The table below names the makers behind this era.

HA-1 Standardization and the Origins of JA/JC

Developed in 1947 by Japanese industry and government, the HA-1 was a standardized specification that made sewing machine parts interchangeable across domestic factories. A 1952 drawing set preserved at Brother is registered as an Important Scientific and Technological History Material. Because HA-1 standardized the product rather than the maker, independent foundries could cast for multiple assemblers: the division of labor that the 1959 Light Machinery Export Promotion Law then formalized in its JA and JC registrations. (The category letters were set by MITI Notice No. 348 of 1959, issued under the Enforcement Regulations, MITI Ordinance No. 61.)

The LJ mark in practice

The two marks on the bed of this Japanese-built Nelco show the system at work. The character like a script J with a horizontal stroke is a single glyph, the letters L and J combined. L is for LIGHT MACHINE and J for JAPAN: the mark declares the product Japanese-made light machinery. It is used as a prefix before the category letter and number. (The expansion is documented in a published history of the Japanese binocular industry compiled by the Machine Industry Promotion Association and the Japan Binocular Industry Association.)

At lower left, JA38 is inked in orange: the glyph, category letter A (complete household sewing machines), and registration number 38, identifying the maker, Sanshin, applied at assembly. Above it, JC36 is cast into the bed: the glyph, category letter C (arm and bed castings), and number 36, the casting maker’s registration, also Sanshin here. On many machines the two numbers belong to different companies, a bed cast by one registered maker finished and badged by another. The stamped R29041 is a serial number, not part of the registration system.

The marks were required on export machines under the Law Concerning Promotion of Export of Light Machinery (Law No. 144 of 1959), in force until its repeal on June 30, 1969. The requirement ended but the marks did not: dated examples run into the mid 1970s, including a 1973 or 1974 Kenmore 158.14300 with both marks cast into its bed. The letters themselves were fixed by the ministry notice that prescribed the mark’s form, MITI Notice No. 348 of July 8, 1959, issued under Article 4 of the Enforcement Regulations. They run in the order the trades came under the system: complete sewing machines (A), then binoculars (B), then machine parts (C) and binocular bodies (E), which is why the B in JB is coincidence rather than an abbreviation.

Collectors generally write these codes as JA- and JC-. On the machines themselves the marking varies: the hyphen is often missing, and the codes sometimes appear as J-A and J-C, apparently reading the L of the LJ monogram as a separator. I use the JA- and JC- forms in the tables below.

JA-** Complete Machine Heads

A JA number tells you who actually built the machine. Under Japan’s Light Machinery Export Promotion Law (Law No. 144 of 1959) and its enforcement rules (MITI Ordinance No. 61), the JA code belonged to the company registered as the maker of the complete household machine: the factory that built and assembled the finished head.

That matters because the name [badge or brand] on the arm is usually not the maker’s. These machines were badge-engineered for Western department stores and distributors, who bought them in bulk and sold them under their own brands. The arm badge is the importer’s. The JA number is the builder’s.

Assembler Code	Attribution	Badged as
JA-1	Brother	Reported: American Home | Bico | Brother | Electro Grand | Lemair | Riviera | Sovereign
JA-2	Janome	Confirmed: New Home Reported: Arctic | Arrow | BelAir | Ford | Ideal | Reliable | SewMor | Viscount
JA-3	Riccar	Confirmed: Dressmaker | Lits | Riccar Reported: American Home | Belvedere | Belvedere Adler | Gimbel’s | Hilton Adler | Morse | New White Designer | Piedmont | Zenith
JA-4	Maruzen	Confirmed: Kenmore (158 Series)
JA-5	Sanwa?, Sanshin?	Confirmed: Kenmore (C714 Series) | Nelco | Remington Reported: Brother | Calanda | Crown Point | Lemair | Lemair Helvetia | Penncrest (J.C. Penney) | Prinzess | Transist | Transit | Zenith
JA-6	Toyota?, Happy?	Confirmed: Kenmore (C877 Series) Reported: Abraham & Strauss | Aldens | Atlas | Bel Air | Modern | Morse | Sewmor
JA-7	Toyota	Reported: Imperial | Mitsubishi | Morse
JA-8	Pine	Confirmed: Singer
JA-9	Juki	Reported: Juki | Morse | Viking (not Husqvarna) | Visetti
JA-10	Happy	Reported: Empisal | Nelco | New Home | Phillips | Signature (Montgomery Ward) | Simpson’s | Succes
JA-11	Soryu	Confirmed: Broadway | Kenmore (148 Series) Reported: DeLuxe | Domestic | Morgan’s | Nustich | St. James | Union Peters | Vogue Stitch
JA-12	Brother	Confirmed: Kenmore (C877 Series) Reported: American Beauty | Atlas | Beaver | Columbus | Cromwell | Eva | Good Housekeeper | Myer De Luxe | National | Nelco | Regency | Reynolds Bros. | Stradivaro | Victor | White
JA-13	Koyo	Confirmed: Abraham & Strauss | Domestic | Dressmaker | G. Fox & Co | Gibraltar | Hamilton | Kenmore (C877 Series) | Keystone | Regency | Remington | Revere | Simon | S.B.F. | Underwood | Universal | Viking (not Husqvarna) | White Reported: Alden’s | American Beauty | Bamberger’s | Cameo | Dial ‘n Sew | Electro-Sunbeem | Elgin | Good Housekeeper | Imperial | International | Koyo | La Modista | Modern | Moderna | Moderne | Remington | | Seammaster | Stitchmaster | Stradivaro | Super Deluxe | Super Macy | The White House | Western
JA-14	Unknown	Reported: American Beauty | Elgin | Hamilton | Omega
JA-15	FMK (Fukusuke Tabi Co.)	Confirmed: White Reported: Falcon | Silovac
JA-16	Minato	Confirmed: Classic | Coronado | H.G.Palmer | Queen | Universal | White Reported: American | Brother | Elgin | Jolsen | Miracle | Modern Home | Nelco | Omega | Sew Best | Stitch Master | Vogue Stitch | Western
JA-17	Unknown	Reported: Imperial | Royal | Woodwards
JA-18	Toyota	Confirmed: Riccar Reported: American Beauty | Belvedere Adler | Dressmaker | Hood | Morse | Nustich | Oden’s | Remington | Revere | Royal | Victor 500 Super Deluxe | Visetti
JA-19	Toyota	Confirmed: Fleetwood | Gimbels | Good Housekeeper | Kenmore (C877 Series) | Necchi-Alco | Super Deluxe | White Reported: Black Diamond | Calanda | Camamatic | Capri | Dial-A-Stitch | Dressmaker | Gotham | Hallmark | Hamilton | Home maker | Homemaker | Household | Ideal | Morse
JA-20	Brother	Confirmed: Dressmaker | Hilton | Kenmore (C877 Series) | White Reported: American Beauty | Anker-Phoenix | Asyma | Belvedere-Adler | Home Mark | Premier | The White House
JA-21	Soryu	Confirmed: Deluxe | Emdeko | Hall Mark | Kenmore (148 Series) Reported: Capitol | Capri | Electramatic | Electro Hygiene | Fleetwood | Goldsmith’s | Home Maker | Livingston | Majestic | National | Premier | Stradivaro | Universal | Vornado
JA-22	Soryu	Confirmed: Kenmore (148 Series) Reported: Dressmaker | Seamstress
JA-23	Matsushita??	Confirmed: Domestic | Dressmaster | Viking (Not Husqvarna) | White Reported: Dressmaker | Needlecraft | Remington | Sewmatic | Universal | Woodsonia
JA-24	Unknown	Reported: Consulate | Imperial
JA-25	Unknown	Reported: Dressmaker | Stitchmaster | Victor
JA-26	Koyo?	Reported: Ambassador
JA-27	Unknown	Reported: Bel Air | Dial ‘n Sew | Morse | SewMor
JA-28	Brother	Confirmed: Brother Reported: Bradford | Brother | Jones | Lemair | Privileg | Wizard
JA-29	Brother	Reported: Bradford | Lemair Helvetia | Wizard
JA-30	Janome, Riccar	Confirmed: White Reported: Home Life | New Home | Riccar
JA-31	Unknown	Confirmed: Stradivaro
JA-33	Unknown	Reported: Beacon | Empisal | Omega | Prinzess | SewVac | Woodcrest | Zenith
JA-34	Unknown	Reported: American Beauty | Riccar | Strawbridge & Clothier | Visetti | White
JA-35	Happy	Confirmed: Domestic | White Reported: Eastern | Jones | Nelco | Signature (Montgomery Ward) | Ward Bros
JA-36	Unknown	Confirmed: Dressmaker | Stitchmaster Reported: Adler | Consul | Kenmore | Visetti | Vornado | Zenith
JA-38	Sanshin	Confirmed: Alco | Dressmaker | Elgin | Kenmore (C714 Series) | Omega | Nelco | Universal Reported: Classic | Fleetwood | Good Housekeeper | Hamilton | Jolsen | Marvel | Penncrest | Regency | Remington | Riviera | Rotary
JA-39	Toyota	Confirmed: Constellation | Kenmore (C877 Series) | Wardana (Ward Bros) Reported: Atlas | Dressmaker | Grand Special | Howe | Lenco | Liebermann | Morse | Prinzess | Riccar | Sew Best | SewMor | Stucky | Viscount
JA-40	Unknown	Reported: Lion
JA-41	Brother	Reported: Brother | Empire
JA-43	Unknown	Reported: Idle Hour | Sewmor
JA-47	National? (Matsushita, Japan)	Confirmed: Kenmore (159 Series) | White Reported: Adler | Belvedere | Crosley | Dressmaker | Dressmaster | Electro Grand | Electro Hygiene | Elgin | Fairline | Gimbels | KDAZ 620 | Miracle | Morse | National | Nelco | New Home | Universal | Western
JA-48	Unknown	Reported: Lemair | Standard
JA-49	Unknown	Reported: Riccar
JA-54	Brother	Confirmed: Brother Reported: Coronado
JA-57	Unknown	Confirmed: Domestic
JA-58	Yamazaki	Confirmed: Dressmaker | Princess Reported: Bluebird | Kenmore | Mercury | Novum | Robertson | Universal | Viscount
JA-59	Unknown	Reported: Packard
JA-61	Unknown	Reported: Aldens | Dressmaker | HomeMaker | Seamstress
JA-78	Unknown	Confirmed: Dial A Stitch
JA-79	Unknown	Reported: White Lily | White-Lily
JA-84	Unknown	Reported: Imperial
JA-87	Unknown	Reported: Electro Grand
JA-92	Unknown	Confirmed: Vendomatic
JA-107	Unknown	Reported: Brother
JA-109	Unknown	Reported: Fairline

JC-** Parts Manufacturers

Under Japan’s 1959 to 1969 export-marking regime, JC numbers identified the registered parts maker behind a machine: the company registered for sewing-machine arm and bed castings, and in some cases for tables, wooden bases, or covers, with the number typically cast into the underside of the bed. While the JA number identifies the maker of the complete head, the JC number identifies the registered supplier of its major parts. Cross-referencing the two can reveal the supply-chain relationship between the parts supplier and the final machine builder. (Category letters per MITI Notice No. 348 of 1959, under the Enforcement Regulations, MITI Ordinance No. 61.)

Foundry Code	Attribution	Badged as
JC-1	Brother	Reported: American Home | Asyma | Bico | Bradford | Brother | Electro Grand | Ideal | Jones | Lemair | Riviera | Wizard
JC-2	Sanshin	Confirmed: JCPenney | Universal Reported: Abraham & Strauss | Aldens | Atlas | Bel Air | Black Diamond | Brother | Coronado | Crown Point | Domestic | Dressmaker | Dressmaster | Electro Hygiene | Emdeko | Emporium | Eva | Fleetwood | Grand Special | Hamilton | Jolsen | Kenmore | Kenmore (148 Series) | Miracle | Modern | Modern Home | Morse | Nelco | New White Designer | Omega | Omega (Norway) | Robertson | Seamstress | Sew Best | Sewmor | Stitch Master | Stradivaro | Stucky | Visetti | Western | White | Woodwards
JC-3	Janome	Reported: Janome | New Home
JC-4	Brother	Reported: American Beauty | Beacon | Calanda | Camamatic | Capri | Continental | Crown | Dial-A-Stitch | Dressmaker | Electro Hygiene | Elita Victoria (Germany) | Fleetwood | Good Housekeeper | Gotham | Hallmark | Hamilton | Household | Kenmore | Morse | Pfaff Calanda | Riccar | Royal | Tessler | Universal | Visetti | White
JC-5	FMK (Fukusuke Tabi Co.)	Reported: Baycrest | Belvedere | Dial n Sew | Dressmaker | Empisal | Empisal | Fleetwood | Hood | Kenmore | Liebermann | Lenco | National | Necchi-Alco | Nelco | Prinzess | Remington | Riccar | Sew Best | SewMor | Viscount
JC-6	Riccar	Confirmed: Riccar Reported: Belvedere Adler | Belvedere/Adler | Dressmaker
JC-7	Aisin Seiki	Reported: Morse | Toyota | White
JC-8	Soryu	Reported: Capri | Kenmore (148)
JC-9	Unknown	Reported: American Beauty | Bamberger | Bamberger’s | Dressmaster | Elgin | Hilton | Idle Hour | Kenmore | Kenmore (158 Series) | Modern Home | Omega | Remington | Signature / Montgomery Ward | Spiegel “Vogue Stitch” | Victor | Victor 500 Super Deluxe | Visetti | White
JC-10	Unknown	Reported: Viking (not Husqvarna)
JC-11	Unknown	Reported: Dressmaker | Electro Hygiene | Riccar
JC-12	Happy	Reported: Dressmaker | Empisal | Princess | Signature (Montgomery Ward)
JC-13	Pine	Reported: Singer
JC-14	Unknown	Reported: Mitsubishi
JC-15	Brother	Reported: Brother | Dressmaker | Empire | Nustich | Olympia | Singer
JC-16	Brother	Reported: Brother | Kenmore
JC-17	Unknown	Confirmed: Domestic Reported: Vogue Stitch | White
JC-18	Janome	Reported: Jones | New Home
JC-19	FMK (Fukusuke Tabi Co.)	Reported: Anker-Phoenix | Dressmaker | Falcon | Home Mark | Silovac | White
JC-20	Unknown	Reported: Baldwin
JC-21	Unknown	Confirmed: Brother Reported: Consul | Coronado | White-Lily | Wizard
JC-22	Unknown (Woodsonia observed)	Reported: Woodsonia
JC-23	Disputed: Sanwa vs. Sanshin/Toyota	Confirmed: Gimbels | Nelco Reported: Ambassador | Crown Point | Dial-A-Stitch | Domestic | Dressmaker | Lemair | Lemair Helvetia | Penncrest (J.C. Penney) | Prinzess | Woodsonia | Zenith
JC-26	Unknown	Reported: Alden’s | Electro Grand | Omega | White | Zenith
JC-27	Unknown	Reported: American Beauty | American Home | Bamberger’s | Bamburgers | Cameo | Dial ‘n Sew | Elgin | Stradivaro | Super Macy | Universal
JC-28	Sanshin	Confirmed: Deluxe | Emdeko Reported: Capitol | Dial-A-Stitch | Electramatic | Fleetwood | Gimbels | Mercedes | Penncrest | Universal
JC-29	Unknown	Reported: Morse | White
JC-30	Unknown	Confirmed: Princess Reported: Dressmaker | Jones | Novum | SewMor
JC-31	Matsushita? Soryu?	Confirmed: Stitchmaster | Vendomatic Reported: Adler | Belvedere Adler | Climax | Dressmaker | Eastern | Imperial | Kenmore | Lion | Mercury | Nelco | Riviera | Visetti | Zenith
JC-32	Unknown	Reported: Electro Grand
JC-33	Unknown	Reported: Needlecraft
JC-34	Unknown	Confirmed: Dial A Stitch | White Reported: Adler | Crosley | Domestic | Dressmaker | Dressmaster | Electro Grand | Electro Hygene | Fairline | Gimbels | Miracle | Morse | National | Nelco | New Home | Universal
JC-36	Sanshin	Confirmed: Alco Reported: Dressmaker | Jolson | Nelco | Penncrest | Riviera | Rotary | Universal
JC-39	Unknown	Reported: Atlas | Sewmatic
JC-41	Unknown	Reported: Belvedere
JC-92	Unknown	Unknown

Important Disclaimer: JA and JC markings are factory identification codes found on many post-war Japanese sewing machines. The manufacturer assignments shown here are based primarily on collector research and observed machines rather than a comprehensive surviving Japanese manufacturer registry. The same retail brand could be supplied by more than one Japanese manufacturer, so a brand name or model prefix alone does not necessarily identify the factory that produced a particular machine.