Medal of Honor (Japan)

Medal of Honor 褒章

Awarded by Japan
Art	medal
Awarded for	Services to society, public welfare and culture
status	Is awarded
Data
Foundation year	1875
Benefactor	Great State Council of Japan
First awarded	1882
Awards	16,171 (2003 to 2013)
Precedence

The Medal of Honor ( Japanese 褒章 hōshō ) is similar to the American ( Medals of Honor ) and the European counterparts an order of merit that is awarded by the Japanese state in six different versions. It serves to honor people who have rendered services to society, public welfare and culture. In general, the term kunshō ( 勲章 ) is used as a translation of the word order . In this sense, the term medal of honor is also used to designate awards that serve the memory (commemorative medal) or like the term medal , which is also used for military and sporting awards.

The award ceremony by the Tennō takes place every six months on April 29 and November 3. The Order of Merit can only be awarded to private individuals. In the event that a legal person or group is to be awarded, a certificate ( 褒状 hōjō ) is awarded instead of a medal , which is marked with the same color scheme as the medal. A certificate or a silver or a wooden cup will also be given to surviving dependents if the recipient dies before the award ceremony (exception: medal of honor on the dark blue ribbon).

historical overview

According to Resolution No. 125 of the Council of State ( Dajōkan ) of July 1875, exceptional individuals and benefactors should receive a reward. In addition, in 1876, an "awards office" ( 賞勲局 shōkunkyoku , English Decoration Bureau ) was set up. On December 7, 1881, the Great Council of State announced the "Order of Merit Ordinance" ( 褒章条例 hōshōjōrei ), which came into force on January 1, 1882 and initially only awarded the Medal of Honor on the Red, Green and Blue Ribbon included. This original system was expanded in 1887 by Imperial Decree No. 16 to include a medal of honor on the yellow ribbon.

The medal of honor on the dark blue ribbon was added 21 years later, in 1918 in the Taishō period , during a revision of the ordinance by imperial decree No. 349. In 1927 a gold clasp was introduced for people who received the same award at least five times. After the Second World War , in 1947, government resolution No. 4 of May 3, as part of the repeal of the resolutions of 1887 from the Meiji period, also abolished imperial decree No. 16 and thus the medal of honor on the yellow ribbon. A new medal of honor on the yellow ribbon was then reintroduced in 1955 by government decree No. 7 along with a medal of honor on the purple ribbon. A medal of honor on the Green Belt was only established on August 12, 2002. In addition, the medal of honor was redesigned the following year.

Shape and appearance

Medal of honor; from top to bottom, left: clasp in silver, clasp in gold, button, right: front of the medal, underneath the back

Although the form of the Order of Merit is stipulated in §7 of the Order of Merit Ordinance, the design of the appearance is regulated by the ordinances of the Cabinet Office (§9). To attach the Medal of Honor to clothing, it consists of the medal itself, which is connected to the clasp and ribbon by a button, the original version of the medal on the yellow ribbon not having a button and being fastened with a ring instead.

medal: made of silver with a diameter of 30 millimeters (since 2003) and with a surrounding pattern of cherry blossoms. The two characters for the Medal of Honor and the Order of Merit 褒章 are applied to the golden open space . The name of the recipient is noted on the back, except for the medal of honor on the dark blue ribbon. Before 2003, the date of the award was also put on the clasp. On the front of the medal of honor on the yellow ribbon, in addition to the stylized chrysanthemum and the horizontal writing of the two characters, a cannon was also depicted, while the reverse bore the inscription 賛成海防事業 , for example: “Achievements in coastal defense”.
stud: made of silver
tape: the ribbon has a color corresponding to the award category. Until 2003 it was a Sun , i.e. i. 3.03 cm wide, today it is exactly 3.6 cm. The yellow ribbon was triangular and attached to the medal with a ring.
Clasp: The date of the award is indicated on the front of the clasp. In the event that the same Order of Merit is awarded again, the second date is added to the clasp. If the Medal of Honor is awarded five times or more to the same person, the silver clasp is replaced by a gold clasp. The clasp has also been adorned with a cherry blossom pattern since 1927.

According to Section 4, Paragraph 1, Clause 1 of the Japanese Trademark Law ( 商標法 ), trademarks that look like or resemble the Medal of Honor cannot be registered.

Original version of the Medal of Honor on the Yellow Ribbon (until 1947)
Front and back of the Medal of Honor until the redesign in 2003
Front of the Medal of Honor since 2003

Executions

Depending on the reason for the award, the medals are awarded with different ribbon colors :

Ribbon color	Reason for the award
	People who have risked their lives to save another receive the medal on the red ribbon ( 紅綬褒章 Kōju hōshō ). First awarded in 1882 for rescuing shipwrecked fishermen from distress at sea.
	The medal on the green belt ( 緑綬褒章 Ryokuju hōshō ) is awarded to outstanding personalities who have distinguished themselves through their social commitment .
	The medal on the yellow ribbon ( 黄綬褒章 Ōju hōshō ) is reserved for people who have become a role model for the public through diligence and duty
	The medal on the purple ribbon ( 紫綬褒章 Shiju hōshō ) is reserved for academic and artistic achievements and achievements.
	The medal on the blue ribbon ( 藍綬褒章 Ranju hōshō ) honors successes in improving the common good and education .
	The medal on the dark blue ribbon ( 紺綬褒章 Konju hōshō ) honors generous financial support for the community .

Web links

Commons : Medals of Honor of Japan - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Medals of Honor (English)

Individual evidence

↑ 春秋褒章受章者数 . (PDF) Cabinet Office Government of Japan, accessed May 3, 2014 (Japanese).
↑ 杯の種類及び授与対象 . Cabinet Office Government of Japan, 2010, accessed May 3, 2014 (Japanese, with illustrations of the bowls).
↑ 褒章の種類及び授与対象 . Cabinet Office Government of Japan, 2010, accessed May 3, 2014 (Japanese, with illustrations of the six executions of the Order).
^ Cabinet Office, Government of Japan: Decorations and Medals in Japan. (Engl.)
↑ 紅綬褒章 . In: デジタル版日本人名大辞典 + Plus at kotobank.jp. Retrieved May 3, 2014 (Japanese).

[1] 春秋褒章受章者数 . (PDF) Cabinet Office Government of Japan, accessed May 3, 2014 (Japanese).

[2] 杯の種類及び授与対象 . Cabinet Office Government of Japan, 2010, accessed May 3, 2014 (Japanese, with illustrations of the bowls).

[3] 褒章の種類及び授与対象 . Cabinet Office Government of Japan, 2010, accessed May 3, 2014 (Japanese, with illustrations of the six executions of the Order).

[COGJ-4] Cabinet Office, Government of Japan: Decorations and Medals in Japan. (Engl.)

[5] 紅綬褒章 . In: デジタル版日本人名大辞典 + Plus at kotobank.jp. Retrieved May 3, 2014 (Japanese).