The Beatles Japanese Single Guide

The Toshiba EMI Recording
Odeon, Apple, and EMI/Odeon Label
(Update: 20th. January 2023)

Example:Single's List

TRACK LISTING	SIDE 1	I Want To Hold Your Hand (Lennon-McCartney)
	SIDE 2	This Boy (Lennon-McCartney)
RELEASE DATE		5th February.1964/First Press
LYRIC SHEET (Bifold)			SIDE 1 -->Click!	SIDE 2 -->Click!	DISK -->Click!
FRONT		BACK

LYRIC SHEET: INSIDE			INNER SLEEVE	LABEL CLOSE UP

				The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.
LYRIC SHEET: FRONT CLOSE UP				LYRIC SHEET: INSIDE CLOSE UP	LYRIC SHEET: BACK CLOSE UP

		Odeon logomark was printed at the upper of the lyric sheet. The words "Toshiba Musical Industries Ltd." was printed at the bottom of the lyric sheet.		The first Beatles single in Japan, "Please Please Me/Ask Me Why" was introduced at the lyric sheet.	"Toshiba Audio system" advertising was introduced at the back of the lyric sheet.
LYRIC SHEET: BACK CLOSE UP
		Two key identifying characteristics with which the collector should be familiar are the circled letter symbol and the price. There are important to note because TOSHIBA would reprint records from time to time without changing catalog numbers but with different symbols and price designations. "MADE IN JAPAN", "symbol=F" and "¥330" were printed at the bottom of the lyric sheet.
OTHER ITEM
-

RECORD LABEL		Odeon type 1
CATALOG NUMBER		OR-1041
MATRIX NUMBER	SIDE 1	7XCE-17559 26
	SIDE 2	7XCE-17560 18
PRESS MARK		D4
VINYL COLOR		Red
DISK EDGE		Flat Edge
LYRIC SHEET STYLE		Bifold
INNER SLEEVE TYPE		Toshiba Records Sleeve type 1
MIX		Mono
RECORD COMPANY'S NAME	COVER	Toshiba Ongaku kogyo Kabusikigaisha
	LABEL	MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN
SYMBOL/PRICE		F-330YEN
COMMENTS		Toshiba released the first Japanese record featuring the Beatles by name as a group: "I Want To Hold Your Hand/This Boy (OR-1041)". When this record was released in 1964, Toshiba's official name was "Toshiba Musical Industries Ltd." and they used the Odeon label for this and subsequent Beatles releases. The LPs, singles and EPs were initially released on both red and black vinyl, with the red variants reportedly offering particularly good sound quality. They are particularly sought-after by audiophiles, and are considerably rarer than the black vinyl versions - red vinyl signifies first pressings of a release. Nearly all of the Japanese Beatles singles were issued with "bifold" picture lyric sheet and company inner sleeve. "Please please me" has a lower catalog number and was scheduled to be the first Odeon Beatles single. However, "I want to hold your hand" was rush released to the market first.

Record Label Variations ...Back to the Single List

Company name	Company Name credit	Label Type			Comments
Company name	Company Name credit	Odeon	Apple	EMI/Odeon	Comments
TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. (- Sep.1973)	MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN	Odeon Type-1	-	-
	MFD. UNDER LICENCE BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN	Odeon Type-2	-	-
	MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. JAPAN	-	Apple Type-1	-	Dark Green Apple
	MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. JAPAN	-	Apple Type-2-1	-	Light Green Apple
TOSHIBA-EMI LTD. (Oct. 1973 - )	MFD. BY TOSHIBA-EMI LTD. JAPAN	--	Apple Type-2-2	-	Light Green Apple
	MFD. UNDER LICENCE BY TOSHIBA-EMI LTD. IN JAPAN	-	-	EMI/Odeon Type-1
	MFD. UNDER LICENCE BY TOSHIBA-EMI LTD. IN JAPAN	-	-	EMI/Odeon Type-2	AN EMI TRADE MARK

Odeon Label (1964-1969)
Odeon Type 1 1964 - 1968			Toshiba was the first company in Japan to manufactrure, market and distribute Beatles records on a massive scale much in the same way Capitol did in the U.S. Toshiba released the first Japanese record featuring the Beatles by name as a group: "I Want To Hold Your Hand/This Boy (OR-1041)". When this record was released in 1964, Toshiba's official name was "Toshiba Musical Industries Ltd." and they used the Odeon label for this and subsequent Beatles releases.
		The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.


		The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.

Odeon Type 2 1968 -1969
		The words "MFD. UNDER LICENCE BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.


		The words "MFD. UNDER LICENCE BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.

Apple Label (1969-1979)
Apple Type 1 (Dark Apple) 1969 - 1973?			The important milestone affecting a label variation is November 1968. That was the date when Apple Corp Ltd. of England and Toshiba came to agreement on the manufacturing and distribution of the Beatles' records in Japan. In 1969, Toshiba had to reissue on the Apple label all the records previously issued on the Odeon label. On 1st October 1973, Toshiba Musical Industries Ltd. was changed its name to Toshiba EMI Ltd. And in the Apple label, there are two subtypes, "TOSHIBA MUSIC Industries" and "TOSHIBA- EMI". Further more, the early copies of the APPLE-TOSHIBA MUSIC type have dark Apple on its label, though the late copies have light one.
		The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.


		The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.

Apple Type 2-1 (Light Apple) 1973?
		The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.


		The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.

Apple Type 2-2 (Light Apple) Oct. 1973 - 1976
		The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA-EMI LTD. JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.

	Red Vinyl	No Disk (maybe)
EMI/Odeon Label (1979-today)
EMI/Odeon Type-1 1976? - 1980?			Toshiba had already begun use of the new EMI/Odeon label as early as 1976 on certain new releases not covered under the Apple contract. "The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl" LP from 1977 is an example. By the early 1980's, the EMI/Odeon label had completely supplanted the Apple label on all Beatles releases.
		The words "MFD. UNDER LICENCE BY TOSHIBA-EMI LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.
		Cannot read the words "AN EMI TRADE MARK" at the bottom of th EMI/Odeon logo mark.

EMI/Odeon Type-2 1981 -
		The words "MFD. UNDER LICENCE BY TOSHIBA-EMI LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.
		The words "AN EMI TRADE MARK" was printed at the bottom of th EMI/Odeon logo mark.

Manufacturer's Catalog Number ...Back to the SIngle List

Prefix	Label	Vinyl
OR	Odeon	Black
OR	Odeon	Red
AR	Apple	Black
AR	Apple	Red
EAR	Apple	Red
EAR	EMI/Odeon	Black
EAS	EMI/Odeon	Black

The numbering system for singles is a lot of simpler.
From 1964-1968, Odeon singles were issued in the form "OR-****".
The change from the Odeon to the Apple label starting in 1969 also resulted in the reissue of all singles in the form "AR-****".
Only the prefixes of the reissues were changed; the numbers remained the same.When the label changed to EMI/Odeon in 1976, most of the singles were reissued and renumbered sequentially with EAR prefixes.
In 1980, some singles were reissued in a mono series and renumbered sequentially with EAS prefixes.

Vinyl Color ...Back to the Single List

Besides good sound and quality printing, Japanese records also offered some other things of interest to the collector. One of the primary manufacturing companies in Japan, Toshiba, pressed a lot of their records on red, “Everclean” vinyl from 1958 through 1974 (maybe). While not pressed as collectors’ items, these red vinyl pressings are more sought out by collectors than their black vinyl counterparts. The Everclean vinyl was designed to be less prone to collecting static electricity and dust than the more common black vinyl.

Toshiba Kawaguchi Factory, in Saitama

All of the Toshiba's red vinyl records were exclusively manufactured by its factory in Kawaguchi, Saitama.

Odeon Label
Black Vinyl	Red Vinyl		Comments
			Release date...1964-1969 Commonly red,but later red releases are not as easily found as the earlier ones. Red Vinyl is called "AKA-BAN" in Japan.
Apple Label
Black Vinyl	Red Vinyl		Comments
			Release date...1969-1979 Commonly black,but red vinyl release can be found with some searching. "EAR" and "red" type of single is none (maybe).
EMI/Odeon Label
Black Vinyl	Red Vinyl		Comments
	No Disk	No Disk	Release date...1976-today Black only(maybe).

Catalog Number

Odeon
type1

Odeon
type2

Apple
type1

Apple
type2-1

Apple
type2-2

EMI/Odeon
type1

EMI/Odeon
type2

Red

OR-1024

Yes

OR-1041

Yes

OR-1058

Yes

OR-1076

Yes

OR-1077

Yes

OR-1078

Yes

OR-1093

Yes

OR-1094

Yes

OR-1102

Yes

OR-1119

Yes

OR-1139

Yes

OR-1142

Yes

OR-1145

Yes

OR-1155

Yes

OR-1156

Yes

OR-1172

Yes

OR-1179

Yes

OR-1189

Yes

OR-1192

Yes

OR-1193

Yes

OR-1194

Yes

OR-1195

Yes

OR-1261

Yes

OR-1412

Yes

OR-1418

Yes

OR-1426

Yes

Catalog No.

Odeon
type1

Odeon
type2

Apple
type1

Apple
type2-1

Apple
type2-2

EMI/Odeon
type1

Red

OR-1430

Yes

OR-1437

Yes

OR-1445

Yes

OR-1510

Yes

OR-1529

Yes

OR-1578

Yes

OR-1685

Yes

OR-1763

Yes

OR-1838

Yes

OR-1902

Yes

OR-2121

Yes

AR-2207

Yes

AR-2279

Yes

AR-2301

Yes

AR-2400

Yes

AR-2461

Yes

AR-2520

Yes

AR-2611

Yes

EAR-20030

Yes

EAR-20050

Yes

EAR-20221

EAR-20223

EAR-20501

Yes

EAS-17158

Yes

EAS-17226

Yes
(custom)

Ever Clean(TM) RECORD...Back to the EP List

Most if not all of the red vinyl OP Odeon EPs were manufactured with an ingredient intended to prevent the buildup of static electricity on the disks. TOSHIBA's trademark for records manufactured with this ingredient is "Ever Clean", and special efforts were made to promote this feature. The "Ever Clean" trademark appears as shown below on the back cover or (if applicable ) inside the gatefold of an LP.

"Ever Clean" seems to have been used on LPs only. EPs or Singles bearing the trademark cannot be found.

booklet: "Toshiba Ever Clean (July 1960)"


"EverCrean" Dust is prohibited on records All Toshiba records are "Ever Clean", so you can always enjoy the music with the best sound quality without dust. (printed on the inner sleeve)	No dust on Everclean Records (left)

Matrix Number ...Back to the Single List

Matrix numbers are alphanumeric codes (and on occasion, other symbols) stamped or hand written (or a combination of the two) into the run-out groove area of a gramophone record. This is the non-grooved area between the end of the final song on a record's side and the label, also known as the run-off groove area, end-groove area, matrix area, or "dead wax". There are two parts of the matrix number to be considered: the "main number", which is usually printed on the label as well, and "extra information" which can include a cut or take number. The most important part of the "extra information" is usually the cut number, which is a suffix to the main number. For example, matrix number 12345 is seen on a label, but examination of the run-out groove area reveals number 12345–3, which indicates this is the third cut of this side. It is not unusual to find records with a different cut number on each side. (From "Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia")
	Matrix Number: 7XCE - 18433 1S
	Matrix Number: XEX - 481 - 5 2 S 2

Press Mark ...Back to the Single List

According to "The Illustrated Guide To The '60s Japanese LP With Obi (Published by: Shinko Music Entertainment Co., Ltd.)", the inscription area may also contain cutting dates.
The press mark can be almost found stamped into the deadwax at the 9 o'clock position of side-1.

from October 1961 to May 1973
Press Mark: Alphabet + Number ex.) "E4"=1964 May ex.) "M5"=December 1965
A	B	C	D	E	F
January	February	March	April	May	June

G	H	J	K	L	M
July	August	September	October	November	December

from June 1973 -
Press Mark: Number + Number, or Number + Alphabet ex.) "3-7"=1973 July ex.) "4-X"=1974 October
1	2	3	4	5	6
January	February	March	April	May	June

7	8	9	X	Y	Z
July	August	September	October	November	December

Press Mark:
J6=September 1966

Press Mark:
0B=1970 February

Disk Edge ...Back to the Single List

The groove guard (edge of the record) was introduced in 1954 by RIAA (maybe).The groove guard is not only protected the record grooves when sliding the disc into the hard cardboard cover and when taking it out, but saved an important amount of vinyl.

Odeon Label			Apple Label	EMI/Odeon Label
- 1966?	1966? - 1968?	1968-	All of the disks	All of the disks

Flat Edge	Knife Edge	Groove Guard	Groove Guard	Groove Guard

Lyric Sheet Type ...Back to the Single List

TYPE 1: Bifold
Back	Front	Inside

Most of singles, especially the older ones, have a cover that simply consists of a 14" by 7" sheet of paper that is folded in half (called a "bifold").When folded, the front cover displays the artwork for the single and the inside and back cover contain information, lyrics, and occasionally photos. The example also shows how advertising was sometimes used on the back covers of the original singles.
TYPE 2: Slip Sheet
Front	Back	Other singles have a cover that is a 7" square sheet of paper (called a "slip sheet") that has the cover art on the front and the lyrics on the back.

TYPE 3: Slip Sheet (inside the sleeve)
Lyric Sheet: Slip Sheet		Sleeve: Pocket Style
Front	Back	Front	Back

A third type of cover for singles is the pocket style.The cover designed as a 7" square open-topped envelope that displays the cover art on both side. A separate lyric sheet is inserted inside the cover.

Inner Sleeve Type ...Back to the Single List

Generic inner sleeves are used for singles without pocket style covers.
Their designs change over the years.

Type	Front	Back	Comments
Toshiba Records Sleeve Type-1 1964-early 1968			Most original and even most reissue Odeon singles have this inner sleeve design.
Toshiba Records Sleeve Type-2-1 starting late1968			Also used with Odeon 400yen reissues. Without "Apple Records" logo type.
The Beatles introduced Apple Records at a press conference in New York City on 14th. May1968.
Toshiba Records Sleeve Type-2-2 1969?				Also used with Odeon 400yen reissues. Added "Apple Records" logo type.
Toshiba Records Sleeve Type-2-3 1969?				Also used with Odeon 400yen reissues. Added "Dunhill Recording" logo type.
Apple Records Sleeve 1969-1976?			All original Apple singles and most Apple reissues use this style sleeve. A few later EAR prefix Apple singles use the EMI/Odeon sleeve shown at the next column.
On 1st. October 1973, Toshiba Musical Industries Ltd. changed its name to Toshiba-EMI Ltd.
Toshiba EMI Sleeve Type-1 1973? - 1976?			This inner sleeve is used with all singles on the EMI/Odeon label and with singles on other labels that were manufactured by TOSHIBA-EMI. Open top type. Glued left and right.
Toshiba EMI Sleeve Type-2-1 1977? - 1980			This inner sleeve is used with all singles on the EMI/Odeon label and with singles on other labels that were manufactured by TOSHIBA-EMI. Open top type. Glued left and right.
Toshiba EMI Sleeve Type-2-2 1981?				Open side type. Credited to "unauthorized copying of this record prohibited". Glued top and bottom.
Toshiba EMI Sleeve Type-2-3 late 1981? -			Open side type. Credited to "unauthorized copying, hiring, renting". Glued top and bottom.
Toshiba EMI Sleeve Type-2-3 late 1981? -

Symbols and Prices ...Back to the Single List

Two key identifying characteristics with which the collector should be familiar are the circled letter symbol and the price. There are important to note because TOSHIBA would reprint records from time to time without changing catalog numbers but with different symbols and price designations.

The Symbol's Lettering Changes

Over the years, the circled "F" symbol was changed to a circled "G", then to a circled "H", and finally to a circled "I" according to the approximate timeframes shown in the table below:

Symbol	Dates Used
F	1964-late1965
G	late1965-late1968
H	late1968-late1974
I	late1974-1980's

Price Changes

For records bearing the same circled letter, the price is used to distinguish an earlier from a later release. The earlier release have lower prices because just about all these records ware released during a time of generally increasing prices. Printed prices always appear somewhere on the cover of Japanese records. In cases where the price changed before a new cover could be printed, a sticker (usually gold with black characters) bearing the new price was placed over the printed cover price.

Symbol	Price	Comments
Odeon
F	¥330	Available up through OR-1261 Sometimes stickered over with "370 yen"
G	¥370	Original starts OR-1412, but likely all OR singles () have a 370yen version. () except OR-1194 and OR-2121 Sometimes stickered over with "400 yen"
H	¥370	Some of these exit. ex.) OR-1437, OR-1838 and OR-1902
H	¥400	Original starts OR-2121, but likely all OR singles() have a 400yen version. () except OR-1024, OR-1156, OR-1194 and OR-1195
Apple
H	¥400	Company's name: TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. Sometimes stickered over with "500yen"
H	¥500	Company's name: TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD.
H	¥500	Company's name: TOSHIBA-EMI LTD.
I	¥500	Company's name: TOSHIBA-EMI LTD.
EMI/Odeon
I	¥600	Company's name: TOSHIBA-EMI LTD.
I	¥700	Company's name: TOSHIBA-EMI LTD.

Promotional Record ...Back to the Single List

In Japan, promotional records have traditionally been provided at no charge to radio stations, record shops, and the mass media to increase the sales of a record or in some cases to promote a tour.
There are two types of promotional releases.
Type-1: This type is called the white label promo for which a unique label has been made. Sometimes unique cover art accompanies a white label promo release but most usually, the regular cover is used with appropriate alternations to prohibit commercial sale.
Type-2: The second type of promo record is less elaborate and is called a sticker promo. It is simply a regular commercial release that has a promo sticker affixed to the cover. This type of promo is occasionally found on post-1975 releases.

Odeon White Label Promo
The label design of Odeon white label singles is very similar to that of regular commercial Odeon singles. The promo version, however, features the perimeter print, Odeon logo, and circled text in red and all other printing in black. The print in black has an unusual "hand lettered" look to it quite unlike the regular commercial version. The release date is in black and appears above and to the left of the title.
				Here is a close-up of the circled text: "Sample under Article 10, Clause 2 of the Commodity Tax Law". The release date is in black.
				Here is a close-up of the circled text: "Sample under Article 10, Clause 2 of the Commodity Tax Law". The release date is in black.
Apple White Label Promo
The design of Apple white label promo singles differs markedly from commercial Apple singles. Promo versions eliminate perimeter print and feature a line drawing of the Apple logo at the label top. All print is black. Notice the promo characters inside the rectangle to the left of the Apple logo and release date to the right.
				Notice the promo characters inside the rectangle to the left of the Apple logo.
EMI/Odeon White Label Promo
The promo label coloring of EMI/Odeon white label promo single is essentially the inverse of the commercial version. The black print and white background of the promo version is the "negative" of the commercial version. The promo (not for sale) characters and "JASRAC" logo mark were printed on the label. The white label promo singles lacks the perimeter print of the commercial version. The release date was not printed on the label.
				Notice the promo characters inside the rectangle to the left.

Jason Anjoorian :
"The Beatles Japanese Record Guide"
Published by: Jason Press
Toru Mitsui (ed.), Peter Ingham :
"The Complete, Illustrated Discography of the Beatles' Records in Japan 1962-1986"
Published by: Shinko Music Publishing Co.,Ltd.