Medals of Honor (Japan)
Medals of Honor (褒章, hōshō) are Japan’s honors awarded by the Emperor for meritorious deeds or excellence in a person’s work. They were created on December 7, 1881, and first awarded in 1882. There are six types, all using the same design: a gilt central disk with the characters 褒章, surrounded by a silver cherry-blossom ring; the difference between the six types is the ribbon color. If someone earns a second medal with the same ribbon color, a bar is added to their existing medal instead of issuing a new one.
Medals are awarded twice a year, on April 29 (Emperor Shōwa’s birthday) and November 3 (Emperor Meiji’s birthday).
Originally, these awards were given to family members for piety and to diligent individuals who became public role models through their work. After World War II, the program was suspended in 1950. From 1955 some awards were revived as the Medal with Yellow Ribbon, and in 2003 the Medal with Green Ribbon was revived for morally notable people who actively serve society.
The six types recognize a range of contributions, including saving lives, public service and welfare, academic and artistic achievements, and generous philanthropy.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:59 (CET).