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 blossoms 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 Emperor Shōwa) and November 3 (the birthday of Emperor Meiji).
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; 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, have become 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, a British-Canadian Royal Naval Reserve officer who participated in relief efforts in the aftermath of the 1923 Great Kantō earthquakeHonor awarded 1923 – National Maritime Museum (UK) 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 who saved the life of an elderly woman from an oncoming train after she became trapped on a railroad crossing.
Green
Ryōtarō Sugi Torakusu Yamaha
Yellow Ken OnoHonor awarded 2009 (Okayama Prefecture) Hiroshi MaedaHonor awarded 2009 (Osaka Prefecture) Noguchi Naohiko Hiroshi Tsukakoshi Hisashi SuzukiAwarded 29 April 2007 http://saas3.startialab.com/acti_books/1045173943/7774/_SWF_Window.html Mitsugu ShibataHonor awarded 2016
Purple
Osamu Akimoto Yasushi Akimoto Toshiko AkiyoshiJapan Foundation – Toshiko Akiyoshi Hideaki Anno Shizuka Arakawa Chieko Asakawa Kinji Fukasaku Moto Hagio Yuzuru Hanyu Machiko Hasegawa Joe Hisaishi"678 individuals, 24 groups awarded Medals of Honor," Mainichi Shimbun. November 3, 2009; "Ghibli Composer Joe Hisaishi Awarded Medal of Honour," Anime News Network. November 3, 2009. Akira Ifukube Sayuri IshikawaJiji press, 20 May 2019 (「歌手の石川さゆりさんら紫綬褒章囲碁の趙治勲さんも－春の褒章」https://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2019052000090&g=pol ), viewed 9, June, 2019. See also, Ishikawa's press conference script, (「春の紫綬褒章、受章。」 http://www.ishikawasayuri.com/news/2019/05/post_442.html ), viewed 9, June, 2019. Chika Kuroda Keisuke Kuwata Akihiro Maeta Takashi Matsumoto Miyuki Nakajima Eiichi Nakamura Koichi Nakano Hitoshi NaritaHonor awarded 1990 – Office of Naval Research (US): "Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh admits Office of Naval Research engineer to United Kingdom's Royal Academy of Engineering," Press release. November 11, 2002. Tetsuya Noda Chronological report of Japan's Art Yearbook by Independent Administrative Institution National Research Institute of Cultural Properties, Tokyo) Hideyuki Okano Katsuhiro Otomo Shoichi Ozawa Takao Saito Hiroyuki Sanada Hiroyuki Sasaki Sanpei Satō Chiyoko Shimakura Takashi Shimura Yasuharu SuematsuThe Japan Prize Foundation: Dr. Yasuharu Suematsu. Dated 2014, Archived copy at archive.org Taihō Kōki Rumiko Takahashi Keiko Takemiya Ichirō Tominaga Mitsuo TsukaharaHonor awarded 2009 (Tokyo Prefecture) Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi Morihei UeshibaHonor conferred 1960 – North Austin Tae Kwan Do: "Chronology of the Life of Morihei Ueshiba, Founder of Aikido." Hozan Yamamoto Yoshihisa Yamamoto Koji Yamamura Kono Yasui Akinori Yonezawa Masaaki Yuasa Toshiko Yuasa 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 awarded 1929 for contributions to women's education. Tano Jōdai awarded for contributions to women's education Rokuro Ishikawa Koichi Kawai Yasuhiro Fukushima Yanosuke Hirai, Nuclear engineer whose precaution and foresight prevented two nuclear disasters. Masaru IbukaHonor awarded 1960 – Sony Corporation: . Kaoru InoueHonor awarded 2009 (Nagasaki Prefecture) Kazuo ImaiHonor awarded 2009 (Kyoto Prefecture) Keiichi Ishizaka Norio OhgaSony, "Passing of Norio Ohga, Senior Advisor and former President and Chairman, Sony Corporation," April 23, 2011; retrieved 2011-08-08 Eishiro Saito Hiroko Sakai Nobuchika Sugimura Shoichiro ToyodaHonor awarded 1984 – Toyota Motor Corporation: Toyoda, Honorary Chairman Yoshikazu YahiroHonor awarded 2009 (Fukuoka Prefecture) Gōgen Yamaguchi Alice Appenzeller Magokichi Yamaoka Carlos Ghosn Toshiko Satake (Satake Corporation) Abbas Kiarostami Hiroyuki Ito (Crypton Future Media) Miyazaki Atsuo Tomio Fukuoka (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 Kikukawa Kisshomaru Ueshiba Moriteru Ueshiba Takeshi "Shin" Okawara
Dark blue Ayumi Hamasaki Shingo Katori Tak Matsumoto Masahiro Nakai Takahiro Nishijima 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: Medals of Honour Japan Mint: Production Process