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They were really (almost?) all "private" bringbacks. Unlike German and Italian guns, I have never seen or heard of any sizeable number of Japanese weapons imported commercially. I did hear, but was not able to confirm, that a few hundred Type 38's were imported years ago from a Southeast Asian country which got them after the occupying Japanese troops surrendered, but that was an exception; most were destroyed.
The majority of Japanese rifles in this country today came from depots in Japan; the Japanese workmen were allowed to remove the Emperor's "mon" or seal (the chrysanthemum) , before surrendering the weapon. Ones with the "mum" intact were usually combat capture, but there were some exceptions. Assuming that the plaque represents some kind of presentation rifle, it would probably not have been in combat, but it is not impossible.
Jim
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