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How did the 1946 Japanese writing reform change kanji use?

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Japanese calligraphy — Japanese language Record of a haiku exchange on *kaishi* writing paper by Japanese poet Bashō and one of his pupils in the teacher's own handwriting, 17th century, from a hanging scroll (ink on paper).

The 1946 Japanese writing reform was a significant effort by the government to simplify the use of kanji in daily life. To address the complexity of the writing system, the government issued a list of 1,850 characters recommended for common use.1

This reform aimed to standardize and limit the number of characters used in public communication and education. By establishing this basic list, the government sought to improve literacy and streamline the reproduction of written materials. When writers or newspapers needed to use characters that were not included on this list, they were instructed to provide the reading in hiragana to ensure clarity for the reader.1

These efforts were later updated in 1981 with the Jōyō kanji hyō ("List of characters for daily use"), which expanded the recommendation to 1,945 characters.1