Military Medals of Honor (Japan)
Encyclopedia
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
, formerly awarded to all military personnel who participated in battles in a war. These war medals and accompanying certificates specifically identify the conflict for which the decoration will have been awarded.
These decorations were effectively abolished during the Allied Occupation of Japan in the post-war years (1945–1951). The plausible re-institution of a modern equivalent was made unlikely by the adoption of Japan's post-war Constitution which disavows the right of the state to engage in aggressive war; but on-going political pressure for an amending Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution
Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution
Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution is a clause in the National Constitution of Japan that prohibits an act of war by the state. The Constitution came into effect on May 3, 1947, immediately following World War II. In its text, the state formally renounces war as a sovereign right and bans...
renders that prospect marginally possible.
1874 Formosa Expedition War Medal
1894-95 Sino-Japanese War Medal
1900 Boxer War Medal
Imperial Edict No. 142 was issued on April 21, 1901 ordering a commemorative medal for those who had participated in the relief of the Beijing legations during the Boxer Rebellion.1904-05 Russo-Japanese War Medal
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
-- Meiji 37-38 (1904–1905). This is more commonly known as the Russo-Japanese War.
A rough translation of the body of the document explains:
- "A medal of honor (jugun kisho) is hereby given, on March 30, 1906, to Ernesto BurzagliErnesto BurzagliErnesto Burzagli CB was a prominent figure in the Kingdom of Italy during the early 20th century. During a lifetime career in the Italian Royal Navy , he rose to the rank of Admiral and Chief of Staff...
, Lieutenant of the Italian Navy, on application by the Naval Minister of Japan and with the Emperor's approval, pursuant to the Regulation Relating to the Medals Honoring Participation in Battles (1904-05). Dated April 1, 1906."
- "After review of this certificate, [the presentation to Lt. Bruzagli of the Medal] has been recorded on the Roll of Medals of Honor."
An image of the front of the medal itself is shown at the bottom center of the certificate—crossed Army and Navy flags on either side of the Imperial Crysanthemum crest above and the Imperial Paulownia crest below.
Lüshunkou
Lüshunkou is a district in the municipality of Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Also called Lüshun City or Lüshun Port, it was formerly known as both Port Arthur and Ryojun....
in January 1905. and with the occupying Japanese forces in January 1905.
1914-20 First World War Medal
Japanese participation in World War I was commemorated by medals created on November 6, 1915 by Imperial Edict No. 203.Allied First World War Victory Medal
1931-34 China Incident War Medal
1937-45 China Incident War Medal
medal was created by Imperial Edit No. 496 on July 27, 1939; and was awarded for service in China from during the 12th through the 20th years of the Shōwa periodShowa period
The , or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of the Shōwa Emperor, Hirohito, from December 25, 1926 through January 7, 1989.The Shōwa period was longer than the reign of any previous Japanese emperor...
-- Shōwa 12-20 (1937–1945). An amendment was promulgated by Imperial Edict No. 418 in 1944; and the decoration was abolished in 1946 by government ordinance No. 177.
Although the Japanese government still uses "China Incident" in formal documents, media in Japan often paraphrase with other expressions like . These terms were used by media even in the 1930s, and the word Shina
Shina (word)
are Romanized Japanese transliterations for the Chinese character compound "支那" which is viewed by most Chinese people as an offensive term for China...
is now construed by China as a derogatory term.
1941-45 Great East Asia War Medal
A special jugun kiso was created on June 21, 1944 by Imperial Edict No. 417.Navy
- Tōgō HeihachirōTogo HeihachiroFleet Admiral Marquis was a Fleet Admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy and one of Japan's greatest naval heroes. He was termed by Western journalists as "the Nelson of the East".-Early life:...
, 1906. - Ernesto BurzagliErnesto BurzagliErnesto Burzagli CB was a prominent figure in the Kingdom of Italy during the early 20th century. During a lifetime career in the Italian Royal Navy , he rose to the rank of Admiral and Chief of Staff...
, Italian Military AttachéRegia MarinaThe Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification...
, 1906.
Army
- Jeremiah Richard Wasson, American Military AttachéUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, 1875.
- Kodama Gentarō, 1906.
- Kuroki TamemotoKuroki TamemotoCount was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army. He was the head of the Japanese First Army during the Russo-Japanese War; and his forces enjoyed a series of successes during the Manchurian fighting at the Battle of Yalu River, the Battle of Liaoyang, the Battle of Shaho and the Battle of...
, 1906. - Ian Standish Monteith HamiltonIan Standish Monteith HamiltonGeneral Sir Ian Standish Monteith Hamilton GCB GCMG DSO TD was a general in the British Army and is most notably for commanding the ill-fated Mediterranean Expeditionary Force during the Battle of Gallipoli....
, British Indian Military AttachéBritish Indian ArmyThe British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
, 1906. - John Charles HoadJohn Charles HoadMajor General Sir John Charles Hoad KCMG was an Australian military leader, best known as the Australian Army's second Chief of the General Staff.-Family:...
, Australian Military AttachéHistory of the Australian ArmyThe history of the Australian Army dates back to colonial forces, prior to the Federation of Australia in 1901. Some of colonial forces, which served the states of Australia at the time, were gradual united into federal units between 1899 to 1903; thus forming the beginning of the Australian Army...
, 1906. - Herbert Cyril ThackerHerbert Cyril ThackerMajor-General Herbert Cyril Thacker, CB CMG DSO was a Canadian soldier and Chief of the General Staff, the head of the Canadian Army from 1927 until 1929.-Military career:...
, Canadian Military AttachéHistory of the Canadian ArmyThe Canadian Army as such originally only existed under that name from November 1940 to February 1968. However, the term has been traditionally applied to the ground forces of Canada's military from Confederation in 1867 to the present...
, 1906. - Granville Roland FortescueGranville Roland FortescueGranville Roland Fortescue was an American soldier, a Rough Rider serving with his cousin, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt in Cuba, a presidential aide in the first Roosevelt administration and later, a journalist and war correspondent for the London Standard during the Rif War in 1920 Spanish Morocco...
, American Military Attaché, 1906. - Masanobu Tsuji, 1939.
- Teruo NakamuraTeruo NakamuraPrivate was a Taiwan-born soldier of the Imperial Japanese Army who fought for Japan in World War II and did not surrender until 1974.His name in his native language appears to have been Attun Palalin...
, 1974. - Hiroo OnodaHiroo Onodais a former Japanese army intelligence officer who fought in World War II and did not surrender until 1974, having spent almost 30 years holding out in the Philippines. He held the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Imperial Japanese Army.-Early life:...
, 1974. - Shoichi YokoiShoichi Yokoiwas a Japanese sergeant in the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second World War. He was among the last three Japanese hold-outs to surrender after the end of hostilities in 1945.-Early life:Yokoi was born in Saori, Aichi Prefecture...
, 1972.
See also
, Meiji 28-29 (1894–1895), Taishō
Taisho period
The , or Taishō era, is a period in the history of Japan dating from July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926, coinciding with the reign of the Taishō Emperor. The health of the new emperor was weak, which prompted the shift in political power from the old oligarchic group of elder statesmen to the Diet...
3-7, (1914–1918)
or , Shōwa
Showa period
The , or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of the Shōwa Emperor, Hirohito, from December 25, 1926 through January 7, 1989.The Shōwa period was longer than the reign of any previous Japanese emperor...
6-16 (1931–1941).
, Shōwa 6-20 (1931–1945).
, Shōwa 12-20 (1937–1945).
, Shōwa 16-20 (1941–1945).
, Shōwa 16-20 (1941–1945).
External links
- Japan, Cabinet Office: Decorations and Medals -- the Jugun kisho is unmentioned in current schemaSchemaThe word schema comes from the Greek word "σχήμα" , which means shape, or more generally, plan. The plural is "σχήματα"...
of honors - Japan MintJapan MintThe is an Incorporated Administrative Agency of the Japanese government. This agency has its Head office in Osaka with branches in Tokyo and Hiroshima.-History:...
: Production Process - Japanese War Medals of WWI
- Japanese War Medals of WWII