List Of Japanese Court Ranks, Positions And Hereditary Titles

The court ranks of Japan, also known in Japanese as ''ikai'' (位階), are indications of an individual's court rank in Japan based on the system of the state. ''Ikai'' as a system was the indication of the rank of bureaucrats and officials in countries that inherited (class system).

Currently, the Japanese court ranks and titles are among the types of honours conferred to those who have held government posts for a long time and to those who have made distinguished achievements. In recent times, most appointments, if not all, are offered posthumously. A notable recipient of such a court rank is the late former prime minister Shinzo Abe, who received Junior First Rank (従一位, ''ju ichi-i'') on 8 July 2022.

Court ranks

The national system for ranking politicians and officials who served the Japanese dynasty began in 603 when Empress Suiko enacted the Twelve Level Cap and Rank System. Each rank was identified by the color of a crown the person with the rank wore. There were twelve ranks: , , , , , , , , , , , and , from top to bottom.

The ranking system underwent several amendments and was developed by the Taiho Code enacted in 701. Under this system, ranks were established for the Imperial family members and vassals like the following:

Ranks for Imperial family members

An Emperor was not ranked.

Princes, princesses, and other Imperial family members were ranked depending on the extent of their contribution to the nation or other factors as follows:

Ranks for subjects

Under the Taiho Code, politicians and officials other than Imperial family members were graded according to the following ranking system.

First to Third Ranks

Each of the First to Third Ranks is divided into and . The is the highest in the rank system. It is conferred mainly on a very limited number of persons recognized by the Imperial Court as most loyal to the nation during that era.

The is the second highest rank, conferred in many cases on the highest ministers, premier feudal lords, and their wives.

Nobles with the Third Rank or upper were called '' kugyō''.

Successive Tokugawa shoguns held the highest or near-highest court ranks, higher than most court nobles. They were made of court rank upon assuming office, then , and the highest rank of was conferred upon them upon their death. The Tokugawa shogunate established that the court ranks granted to daimyo by the imperial court were based on the recommendation of the Tokugawa shogunate, and the court ranks were used to control the daimyo.

Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi were and respectively, but both were elevated to in the Taisho era, about 300 years after their deaths.

Fourth Rank

The Fourth Rank is divided into Senior and Junior, and each is subdivided into and Grades. The is the highest Fourth Rank and the the lowest.

Fifth Rank

The Fifth Rank is divided into Senior and Junior, and each is subdivided into Upper and Lower Grades. The is the highest Fifth Rank and the the lowest.

Sixth Rank

The Sixth Rank is divided into Senior and Junior, and each is subdivided into Upper and Lower Grades. The is the highest Sixth Rank and the the lowest.

Seventh Rank

The Seventh Rank is divided into Senior and Junior, and each is subdivided into Upper and Lower Grades. The is the highest Seventh Rank and the the lowest.

Eighth Rank

The Eighth Rank is divided into Senior and Junior, subdivided into Upper and Lower Grades. The , is the highest, and the , is the lowest.

Initial Rank

The is divided into and , and each is subdivided into Upper and Lower Grades. The is the highest Initial Rank, and the the lowest.

Ranking system after the Meiji Restoration

The 1887 Ordinance on Ordination reorganized the ranking system. It abolished the Initial Ranks and the Grades of Upper and Lower of Fourth and lower Ranks. The relationships between ''ikai'' and court positions were also abolished. There were then a total of 16 ranks, ranging from the to the , as shown below:

Sanjo Sanetomi was the last living person who received the in 1891, and all subsequent recipients were posthumously received. No persons have been awarded this rank since 1917 when Oda Nobunaga was posthumously awarded.

The 1925 restricted ordination exclusively to the purpose of conferring honors.
Since the current Constitution came into effect in 1947, the presentation of ranks has been limited to those who have already died, with the idea of abolishing the privileges associated with conferring honors, and ranks have been presented posthumously.

Today, the is the highest available rank, which is posthumously conferred primarily on persons deemed being served most to the nation out of former prime ministers.
The is conferred on many former prime ministers, and the on top-class politicians, such as former speakers of the National Diet and former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
The is posthumously conferred mainly on civilians who are recognized as having done the most for the nation's development, such as founders of large companies and the novelists and artists who represented Japan. The is in many cases conferred on artists who created Japan's famous masterpieces.

The Junior First Rank is bestowed directly by the incumbent Emperor. The Second through Fourth Ranks are awarded by Imperial decree.
The awarding of the Fifth Ranks or lower is decided by a hearing from the Cabinet and a decision by the Emperor to the hearing.

Court positions

In the era when the Ritsuryo system was in place, the official position in the court and ''ikai'' of bureaucrats were closely related. For example, becoming the , the highest position in the administration, required the . To become the , he had to be in either the or the . A needed the , and a needed the . required the .

*—the highest position in the Council of State. This position was used only when it was necessary to place someone in a position above the Minister of the Left.
*—the highest permanent position in the Council of State.
*—the second highest position next to the Minister of the Left.
*—the third highest position next to the Minister of the Right.
*—the fourth highest position in the Council of State. The maximum number of this position was originally four and was reduced to two in 705.
*—when all Senior Counselors were occupied, and a new person was appointed to the Senior Counselor, he was placed in this position.
*—a newly created position to assist Senior Counselors. The maximum number of this position was three.
*—personnel to participate in political discussions, not Senior or Middle Counselors.
*—controls the Ministers of the Center, Civil Service, Ceremonies, and Popular Affairs.
*—controls the Ministers of War, Justice, the Treasury, and the Imperial Household.
*—the top working-level position in the Council of State. The maximum number of this position was three.
Controllers needed the Junior Fourth Rank, Upper Grade. Junior Counselors required the Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade.

*—the highest position in the .
*—the highest position in the .
*—the highest position in the .
*—the highest position in the .
*—the highest position in the .
*—the highest position in the .
*—the highest position in the .
*—the highest position in the .

The Minister of the Center needed the Senior Fourth Rank, Upper Grade. Other ministers required the Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade.

''Shiki'' (職)

*—the first-class officer requiring the Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade.
*—the second-class officer requiring the Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade.

*—the first-class officer of the , requiring the Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade.
*—the second-class officer of the , requiring the Junior Sixth Rank, Upper Grade.
*—the third-class officer of the , requiring the Junior Seventh Rank, Upper Grade.
*—the fourth-class officer of the , requiring the Junior Eighth Rank, Lower Grade or the Greater Initial Rank, Upper Grade.
*—the first-class officer of the , requiring the Junior Fifth Rank, Upper Grade.
*—the first-class officer of the , requiring the Junior Fifth Rank, Upper Grade.
*—the first-class officer of the , requiring the Junior Fifth Rank, Upper Grade.
*—the first-class officer of the , requiring the Junior Fifth Rank, Upper Grade.
*—the second-class officer of the , requiring the Senior Sixth Rank, Lower Grade.
*—the first-class officer of the , requiring the Junior Fifth Rank, Upper Grade.
*—the second-class officer of the , requiring the Senior Sixth Rank, Lower Grade.
*—the first-class officer of the , requiring the Junior Fifth Rank, Upper Grade.
*—the first-class officer of the , requiring the Junior Fifth Rank, Upper Grade.
*—the first-class officer of the , requiring the Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade.
*—a person recognized by the state as a learned person in charge of creating the state calendar. He needed the Junior Seventh Rank, Upper Grade.
*—a person recognized by the state as a learned person in charge of astronomy. He required the Senior Seventh Rank, Lower Grade.
*—a person recognized by the state as a learned person in charge of national timekeeping. He required the Junior Seventh Rank, Lower Grade.
*—a scholar who served at the Emperor's side and taught learning.

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

*
*
*
*
*
*

*
*''The Tale of Genji'': (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
/ref>
*

*
*

Others

*

Hereditary titles

A hereditary title was conferred by an Emperor on an Imperial family member, a noble, or a clan under the '' kabane'' system to signify his political and social status. This title was inherited from generation to generation in the family until the hereditary title system was discontinued in 1871 by law.
*—the highest noble title of the court personnel. Mahito was mainly conferred to Imperial families.
*—the second highest noble title next to Mahito. Ason was practically the highest title for non-imperial-household clans.
*—the third highest noble title. The clans with Sukune represented military and administrative officers.
*—the fourth highest noble title. It was mainly conferred to Hata and Yamato-no-Aya clans.
*—the fifth highest noble title. There is no record that this title was conferred.
*—the sixth highest noble title. It was recorded to be conferred mainly on Soga, Kose, Ki, Katsuragi, and Hozumi clans.
*—the seventh highest noble title. It was conferred on Mononobe, Nakatomi, Yuge, Otomo and Haji clans.
*—the eighth highest noble title. There was no precedent for this title being conferred.
*—a title of '' gōzoku'' who were subordinate to nobles with Muraji.
*—a lower title than Tomo no Miyatsuko.
*—a title for officers ruling provinces.
*—a title of rulers of a smaller area than a province.

References

{{Reflist

Court ranks