Japan
jap-19830000-e-001
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Advertisement for the 1983 National Sports Festival (Akagi Kokutai) held in the Gunma prefecture. The image of the ad shows “Gunmachan” the mascot of the games. In the background is the Mount Akagi, representative of the Gunma prefecture.

From "Japan Echo Cards" by Pat Feiner of Classic Philatelics dated October, 1982.

Advertising on postal stationery is not a new innovation to the philatelic world, but Japan is certainly utilizing it to the fullest extent since first releasing advertising cards on July 7, 1981. The commitment to this new program was born in 1975 when the Government was introducing legislation for increases in postal rates. Since postal cards have been a favorite way of communication among the Japanese, with approximately 50% of first class mail comprised of postal cards, it was decided to issue the current rate 40 yen postal card bearing advertisements of private enterprises. The cards would be sold to the public at 35 yen thus making them a more economical means of communication, and the advertiser would be charged nine or ten yen per card as his fee for advertising.

From Linn's "Stamp Issuing Entities Of The World" page.