Konnichiwa David1-san!
Three characters can be read. However, the exact characters are unknown.
TOP Character
マ:MA
ア:A
Both are Katakana characters.
MIDDLE Caracter
工:KOU
エ:E
ニ:ni
二:2
First caracter "工:KOU" is a Kanji, Second caracter "エ:E" is a Katakana, Third caracter "ニ:ni" is a Katakana, Fourth caracter "二:2" is a number.
BOTTOM Character
九:9
I also think this symbol is a number "九:9".
Generally, the symbols stamped on slings indicate the place of manufacture and the year of manufacture.
The number 9 may refer to the 9th year of the Showa era(1934). However, in 1934, leather slings were common, and fabric slings were not yet common at that time.
Some Arisaka Type 99 rifles bear the same stamps as the MIDDLE Caracter. The stamp indicates it was manufactured by
東洋工業(Toyo Kogyo) between July and December 1944(the 19th year of the Showa era).
For more details, please visit
this site.
It is unclear whether the rifle stamp and the sling stamp are linked or not.
NANGI