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| Japanese honors system | |
|---|---|
| Name | Japan honors |
| Caption | Imperial Seal of Japan |
Japanese honors system The Japanese honors system is a structured array of orders, decorations, and medals awarded by the Emperor of Japan and administered by agencies of the Cabinet Office (Japan), the Prime Minister of Japan, and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Its origins trace to the Meiji Restoration and reforms including the Meiji Constitution and later the Postwar Constitution of Japan, reflecting influences from British honours system, Prussian orders, and indigenous court ranks such as the Kazoku and the kazoku peerage. The system recognizes achievements in fields represented by institutions like University of Tokyo, National Diet, Japan Self-Defense Forces, Japan Red Cross Society, and cultural bodies such as the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
The modern framework began with the 1873 establishment of the Order of the Rising Sun during the Meiji era, amid efforts by figures like Itō Hirobumi and Saigō Takamori to modernize alongside constitutional developments culminating in the Meiji Constitution. The Order of the Sacred Treasure followed to honor civil service tied to ministries including the Ministry of Home Affairs (Japan). During Taishō period and Shōwa period expansions produced awards like the Order of the Golden Kite (abolished post-Occupation of Japan reforms by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers). The Postwar Constitution of Japan and laws such as the Order of Precedence (Japan) framework reshaped conferment practices, with later statutes codified under the Decorations and Medals Act and procedures involving the Prime Minister of Japan and the House of Representatives of Japan.
Principal orders include the Order of the Chrysanthemum, the Order of the Paulownia Flowers, the Order of the Rising Sun, and the Order of the Sacred Treasure. Military and wartime distinctions historically included the Order of the Golden Kite and campaign medals tied to engagements like the Russo-Japanese War and Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945). Civil medals encompass honors from the Japan Foundation, the Japan Foundation Awards, and specialized awards administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Commemorative medals marked events such as the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the 1970 World Exposition in Osaka.
Recommendations originate from ministers of ministries such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan), the Ministry of Finance (Japan), and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, as well as municipal authorities like the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and prefectural offices including Osaka Prefecture. Committees involving members of the Cabinet Office (Japan), the Imperial Household Agency, and ad hoc panels with representatives from institutions like Japan Art Academy or Japan Academy vet nominees. The Prime Minister of Japan forwards approved lists to the Emperor of Japan for conferment, consistent with precedents set during administrations of leaders like Shigeru Yoshida and Yasuhiro Nakasone.
Most orders have hierarchical classes exemplified by the multi-class structure of the Order of the Rising Sun and the Order of the Sacred Treasure; the Order of the Chrysanthemum typically exists as a single highest class. Insignia include badges, sashes, and stars manufactured under contracts with firms historically linked to Tokyo artisans and modern suppliers associated with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Design elements draw from symbols such as the chrysanthemum crest and the paulownia flower, echoing iconography used by the Imperial Household Agency and earlier in Edo period heraldry.
Conferrals often occur at rites presided over by the Emperor Emeritus Akihito or the current Emperor Naruhito in venues like the Tokyo Imperial Palace or regional assemblies. Ceremonial protocol involves officials from the Cabinet Office (Japan), the Prime Minister of Japan’s Cabinet Secretariat, and representatives of honorees’ institutions such as NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), Sony Group Corporation, Toyota Motor Corporation, or universities like Kyoto University. Public announcements appear in the Official Gazette of Japan (Kanpō), and state visits involving honors intersect with diplomacy through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan).
Recipients span politicians like Shinzo Abe and Junichiro Koizumi, scientists such as Hideki Yukawa and Yoshinori Ohsumi, artists including Yayoi Kusama and Tadao Ando, business leaders like Soichiro Honda and Akio Toyoda, and athletes such as Naomi Osaka and Yuzuru Hanyu. Foreign dignitaries including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Queen Elizabeth II, Barack Obama, and Vladimir Putin have received high decorations during state visits coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan). Civil society honorees include figures from Japan Red Cross Society, UNICEF, World Health Organization, and recipients of cultural prizes like the International Booker Prize laureates associated with Japanese translations.
Administration rests with bodies including the Cabinet Office (Japan), the Prime Minister of Japan’s office, and the Imperial Household Agency, operating under statutes such as the Decorations and Medals Act and ministerial ordinances issued by the Ministry of Justice (Japan). Oversight interfaces with parliamentary procedures in the National Diet and archival records in institutions like the National Archives of Japan. Policy debates over reform of honors have involved lawmakers from parties such as the Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, and have referenced comparative models like the Order of Canada and the Legion of Honour of France.