are medals awarded by the Emperor of Japan. They are awarded to individuals who have done meritorious deeds and also to those who have achieved excellence in their field of work. The Medals of Honor were established on December 7, 1881, and were first awarded the following year. Several expansions and amendments have been made since then. The medal design for all six types is the same, bearing the stylized characters on a gilt central disc surrounded by a silver ring of

cherry blossom A cherry blossom, also known as Japanese cherry or sakura, is a flower of many trees of genus ''Prunus'' or ''Prunus'' subg. ''Cerasus''. They are common species in East Asia, including China, Korea and especially in Japan. They generally ...

s on the obverse; only the colors of the ribbon differ. If for some reason an individual were to receive a second medal of the same ribbon colour, then a second medal is not issued but rather a new bar is added to their current medal. The Medals of Honor are awarded twice each year, on April 29 (the birthday of the

Shōwa Emperor Emperor , commonly known in English-speaking countries by his personal name , was the 124th emperor of Japan, ruling from 25 December 1926 until his death in 1989. Hirohito and his wife, Empress Kōjun, had two sons and five daughters; he was ...

) and November 3 (the birthday of the Meiji Emperor).

Types

Red ribbon

First awarded in 1882. Awarded to individuals who have risked their own lives to save the lives of others.

Green ribbon

First awarded in 1882. Originally awarded "to children, grandchildren, wives and servants for remarkable acts of

piety Piety is a virtue which may include religious devotion or spirituality. A common element in most conceptions of piety is a duty of respect. In a religious context piety may be expressed through pious activities or devotions, which may vary among ...

; and to individuals who, through their diligence and perseverance while engaging in their professional activities, became public role models". Changed social values after World War II had resulted in the conferment of this medal being suspended after 1950; since 1955 it has been replaced to some extent by the revived Medal with Yellow Ribbon (see below). However, in 2003 the Medal with Green Ribbon was revived as an award to morally remarkable individuals who have actively taken part in serving society.

Yellow ribbon

First awarded in 1887 (later abolished); revived in 1955. Awarded to individuals who, through their diligence and perseverance while engaging in their professional activities, became public role models.

Purple ribbon

First awarded in 1955. Awarded to individuals who have contributed to academic and artistic developments, improvements and accomplishments.

Blue ribbon

First awarded in 1882. Awarded to individuals who have made significant achievements in the areas of public welfare or public service.

Dark blue ribbon

First awarded in 1919. Awarded to individuals who have made exceptionally generous financial contributions for the well-being of the public.

Select recipients

Red

Samuel Robinson Samuel Robinson may refer to: * Samuel Robinson (1666–1729), member of Parliament for Cricklade, England * Samuel Robinson (politician) (1738–1813), Vermont political and military leader * Samuel Robinson (industrialist) (1794–1884), English i ...

, a British-Canadian Royal Naval Reserve officer who participated in relief efforts in the aftermath of the

1923 Great Kantō earthquake The struck the Kantō Plain on the main Japanese island of Honshū at 11:58:44 JST (02:58:44 UTC) on Saturday, September 1, 1923. Varied accounts indicate the duration of the earthquake was between four and ten minutes. Extensive firestorms an ...

* Yan Jun, a People's Republic of China citizen who saved a Japanese child from drowning during a typhoon in September 2013 * Anuj Raj Karki, a Nepalese citizen who saved a Japanese girl lying unconscious on a railway track. * Momoko Fukuda, a 20 year old student at the Okayama University of Science saved the life of an elderly women from an oncoming train after she got stuck on a railroad crossing.

Green

Ryōtarō Sugi (born 14 August 1944, Kobe) is a Japanese singer and actor. He is the father of actor Jundai Yamada. He appeared in ''Sukima Kaze'', which sold over a million copies. His acting credits include 18 films. On television, he specialized in ''jid ...

Torakusu Yamaha was a Japanese businessman and entrepreneur known as the founder of the Yamaha Corporation. Yamaha was the first Japanese manufacturer of the reed organ and established Nippon Gakki Co Ltd in Hamamatsu to produce organs and other musical inst ...

Yellow

* Ken Ono * Hiroshi Maeda *

Noguchi Naohiko Noguchi (野口 lit. "field entrance") is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Akira Noguchi ( 野口明), baseball player, older brother of Jirō Noguchi * Akiyo Noguchi ( 野口啓代), Japanese climber who won multiple ...

Hiroshi Tsukakoshi is a common masculine Japanese given name. It can also be transliterated as Hirosi. Possible writings Hiroshi can be written using different kanji characters and can mean: *浩, "meaning" *汎 *弘, *宏, *寛, *洋, *博, *博一, *博司, ...

* Hisashi Suzuki * Mitsugu Shibata

Purple

* Hiroyuki Sanada * Osamu Akimoto * Yasushi Akimoto * Toshiko AkiyoshiJapan Foundation – Toshiko Akiyoshi
* Hideaki Anno * Shizuka Arakawa * Chieko Asakawa * Kinji Fukasaku *

Moto Hagio is a Japanese manga artist. Regarded for her contributions to ''shōjo'' manga ( manga aimed at young and adolescent women), Hagio is considered the most significant artist in the demographic and among the most influential manga artists of a ...

* Yuzuru Hanyu * Machiko Hasegawa * Joe Hisaishi *

Akira Ifukube was a Japanese classical and film music composer, best known for his works on the ''Godzilla'' franchise. Biography Early years in Hokkaido Akira Ifukube was born on 31 May 1914 in Kushiro, Japan as the third son of a police officer Toshimi ...

Sayuri Ishikawa is a Japanese enka singer who made her professional debut in 1973. With a career nearing five decades, she is one of the most-recognized and successful enka singers in history. Ishikawa is a popular contestant on the annual NHK ''Kōhaku Uta Gas ...

* Chika Kuroda * Keisuke Kuwata * Akihiro Maeta * Takashi Matsumoto * Miyuki Nakajima * Eiichi Nakamura * Koichi Nakano *

Hitoshi Narita Hitoshi Narita is a Japanese naval architect, researcher, businessman, and an International Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng). For a time, Narita was one of the Managing Directors of Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co. in th ...

* Tetsuya Noda Chronological report of Japan's Art Yearbook by Independent Administrative Institution National Research Institute of Cultural Properties, Tokyo) *

Hideyuki Okano Hideyuki Okano ( ja, 岡野栄之) (born 26 January 1959 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese physiology professor and the current dean of Keio University School of Medicine. He is also the team leader of the Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture ...

Katsuhiro Otomo is a Japanese manga artist, screenwriter, animator and film director. He is best known as the creator of '' Akira'', in terms of both the original 1982 manga series and the 1988 animated film adaptation. He was decorated a ''Chevalier'' of th ...

* Shoichi Ozawa * Takao Saito * Hiroyuki Sasaki * Jian-ren Shen *

Chiyoko Shimakura (30 March 1938 – 8 November 2013) was an ''enka'' singer and TV presenter in Japan. She was considered "the Goddess of Enka". Career Chiyoko was born in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, Japan. In 1954 Chiyoko won the 1st prize of the Columbia Music ...

* Takashi Shimura *

Yasuharu Suematsu (born 1932) is a researcher and educator in optical communication technology. His research has included the development of Dynamic Single Mode Semiconductor Lasers for actuation and the development of high-capacity, long-distance optical fiber c ...

* Taihō Kōki * Rumiko Takahashi *

Keiko Takemiya is a Japanese manga artist and the former president of Kyoto Seika University. Career Keiko Takemiya (or Takemiya Keiko) is included in the Year 24 Group, a term coined by academics and critics to refer to a group of female authors in the ea ...

* * Mitsuo TsukaharaHonor awarded 2009 (Tokyo Prefecture)
*

Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi (born July 28, 1942 in Tokyo) is a Japanese cellist. He started to study music under the tutorship of Hideo Saito, founder of the Tokyo Conservatory."Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi", Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians Tsutsumi made his debut as celli ...

* Morihei Ueshiba *

Hozan Yamamoto Fongshan District, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency () is a district located in southern Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Fongshan is one of the administrative centers of Kaohsiung and is home to the Republic of China Military Academy. ...

* Yoshihisa Yamamoto *

Koji Yamamura Koji, Kōji, Kohji or Kouji may refer to: *Kōji (given name), a masculine Japanese given name *Kōji (Heian period) was a after '' Eiji'' and before ''Ten'yō.'' This period spanned the year from April 1142 through February 1144. The reigning ...

* Kono Yasui *

Akinori Yonezawa is a Japanese computer scientist specializing in object-oriented programming, distributed computing and information security. Being a graduate of the University of Tokyo, Yonezawa has a Ph.D in computer science from MIT in the Actor group at th ...

* Masaaki Yuasa *

Toshiko Yuasa was a Japanese nuclear physicist who worked in France. She was the first Japanese female physicist. Early life and education Yuasa was born in Taitō Ward, Tokyo, in 1909. Her father was an engineer who worked for the Japanese patent office. Her ...

* Kisna Gupta * Kōji Yakusho * Katsuya Yokoyama

Blue

* Toshio Kashio awarded in 1984 for contributions to Japan's post-WWII economic recovery through Kashio Seisakujo ( Casio Computer Co.) *

Clara Converse Clara Adra Converse (May 8, 1857 – January 24, 1935) was an American educator and missionary who joined the Woman’s Baptist Foreign Missionary Society and became a pioneer educator in Japan. After earning her credentials at the Vermont Academ ...

awarded 1929 for contributions to women's education. *

Tano Jōdai Tano Jōdai (July 3, 1886 – April 8, 1982) was a professor of English literature, peace activist, and the sixth president of the Japan Women's University. Career Jōdai was born on July 3, 1886. Her father was the head of Harue village in S ...

awarded for contributions to women's education * Rokuro Ishikawa * Koichi Kawai *

Yasuhiro Fukushima was a Japanese video game publisher that produced video games, anime and manga. Enix is known for publishing the ''Dragon Quest'' series of role-playing video games. The company was founded by Yasuhiro Fukushima on September 22, 1975, as . Th ...

Yanosuke Hirai was a Japanese civil engineer and corporate executive in the electric power industry. He developed electric power generation in the Tohoku region during the Shōwa era with unusual foresight and a deep sense of responsibility. 25 years after ...

, Nuclear engineer whose precaution and foresight prevented two nuclear disasters. * Masaru Ibuka *

Kaoru Inoue Marquess Inoue Kaoru (井上馨, January 16, 1836 – September 1, 1915) was a Japanese politician and a prominent member of the Meiji oligarchy during the Meiji period of the Empire of Japan. As one of the senior statesmen (''Genrō'') in Ja ...

Honor awarded 2009 (Nagasaki Prefecture)
*

Kazuo Imai is a Tokyo-based guitarist who plays in a rigorous and original free improvisation idiom. His music joins the rigour and texture of contemporary classical with the passion of free jazz. He has played with many Western and Japanese improvisers, inc ...

Honor awarded 2009 (Kyoto Prefecture)
*

Keiichi Ishizaka was a Japanese music industry executive who was the chairman of Recording Industry Association of Japan. Personal life Born in Saitama-ken, he learned the music of Japan while studying Business Administration at Keio University. He graduated in ...

* Norio OhgaSony
"Passing of Norio Ohga, Senior Advisor and former President and Chairman, Sony Corporation,"
April 23, 2011; retrieved 2011-08-08 *

Eishiro Saito (November 11, 1911 - April 22, 2002) was a Japanese businessman, the former President of Nippon Steel, the 6th Chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) from 1986 to 1991, President of the Japan Science Foundation from 1988, President o ...

* Hiroko Sakai * Nobuchika Sugimura * Shoichiro Toyoda * Yoshikazu YahiroHonor awarded 2009 (Fukuoka Prefecture)
*

Gōgen Yamaguchi Jitsumi Gōgen Yamaguchi (山口剛玄; January 20, 1909 – May 20, 1989), also known as Gōgen Yamaguchi, was a Japanese martial artist and student of Gōjū-ryū Karate under Chōjun Miyagi. He was one of the most well-known karate-dō ...

* Alice Appenzeller * Magokichi Yamaoka * Carlos Ghosn *

Toshiko Satake Toshiko is a feminine Japanese given name. Possible writings *敏子 "agile/clever, child" *俊子 "genius, child" *淑子 "graceful/polite, child" *寿子 "longevity, child" *年子 "year/age, child" *歳子 "age/time, child" *稔子 "humble, ch ...

(

Satake Corporation based in Hiroshima, Japan, is a multinational company mainly focused in equipment for the processing and sorting of agricultural products such as rice, grains and beans. The corporation was founded in Japan by Riichi Satake in 1896. They have no ...

) *

Abbas Kiarostami Abbas Kiarostami ( fa, عباس کیارستمی ; 22 June 1940 – 4 July 2016) was an Iranian film director, screenwriter, poet, photographer, and film producer. An active filmmaker from 1970, Kiarostami had been involved in the production of ...

* Hiroyuki Ito (Crypton Future Media) *

Miyazaki Atsuo Miyazaki may refer to: People * Hayao Miyazaki, Japanese animator * Hidetaka Miyazaki, video game director * Gorō Miyazaki, Japanese film director and landscaper, and son of Hayao Miyazaki. * For others, see Miyazaki (surname) Places * Miyazaki P ...

Tomio Fukuoka (born January 1, 1936) is a Japanese educator and Academian. He is the Founder/Chairman of Kobe Denshi and Graduate School of Information Technology (KIC). Early life Tomio Fukuoka was born in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. Professional career T ...

(1993) * Tokio Yokoi, Rev ordained minister and politician, international author 1890 to 1920. IHJ 3rd Class Honour award for his contributions during the 1919 Paris Peace Talks * Tsuyoshi Kikukaw

*Kisshomaru Ueshib

*Moriteru Ueshib

Dark blue

* Ayumi Hamasaki * Shingo Katori * Tak Matsumoto * Masahiro Nakai *

Takahiro Nishijima is a Japanese singer and actor who is the main vocalist of the group AAA AAA, Triple A, or Triple-A is a three-letter initialism or abbreviation which may refer to: Airports * Anaa Airport in French Polynesia (IATA airport code AAA) * Logan ...

* Yoshiki

References

Bibliography

* Peterson, James W., Barry C. Weaver and Michael A. Quigley. (2001). ''Orders and Medals of Japan and Associated States.'' San Ramon, California: Orders and Medals Society of America.

External links

* Japan, Cabinet Office
Decorations and Medals
** Decoration Bureau

* Japan Mint
Production Process
{{DEFAULTSORT:Medals Of Honor (Japan) Awards established in 1881 1881 establishments in Japan * Ribbon symbolism