This webpage provides an overview of decorations and medals, which are part of Japan's honors system, and introduces how to find recipient names using the Internet.

For a detailed explanation in Japanese, please see Research Navi Decorations and medals（Japan）.

1. Overview and categories in the honors system

The honors system is a national system that recognizes people who have contributed to the nation or public. In Japan, the decoration system was established in 1875 (Meiji 8) and the medal system was established in 1881 (Meiji 14).

The following types of honors are currently awarded in Japan.

1-1. Decorations

Decorations are awarded to individuals who have contributed to the nation or public based on a comprehensive assessment of their achievements through their lifetime.

Bestowing decorations from the government is referred to as Jokun.
Decorations are awarded to persons over the age of 70, or in some cases to individuals over the age of 55, at the Biannual Decoration Ceremonies held twice a year on April 29 and November 3 since 2003 (Heisei 15).
Also, individuals 88 years old or older who have not received honors in the Biannual Decoration Ceremonies or who died before the age of 88 are conferred decorations throughout the year.

• Summary of the Honors System > Decorations（Cabinet Office）
• Types of Decorations（Cabinet Office）

1-2. Medals of Honor

Medals are awarded to people who made achievements to be recognized in various fields in the society. Unlike decorations, which evaluate recipients' lifetime contributions, medals are awarded promptly when an achievement is made.

Medals are announced on the same day as Biannual Decoration Ceremonies. But the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon, a medal for individuals who have made exceptionally generous financial contributions for the good of the public, and the Bereaved Family Award, a medal for deceased individuals who are eligible for awards, are conferred when the occasion arises.

• Summary of the Honors System > Medals（Cabinet Office）
• Types of Medals（Cabinet Office）

1-3. Order of Culture

The Order of Culture is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Japanese culture. It is announced on Culture Day, November 3, every year.

• Summary of the Honors System（Cabinet Office）（Japanese）

1-4. Honors other than decorations and medals

Posthumous court ranks are conferred on deceased individuals who have contributed to the nation or public.

There are 16 grades from the Senior First Rank (Sho ichii ) to the Junior Eighth Rank (Ju hachii). In accordance with custom, appropriate ranks are conferred depending on contributions during their lifetime.

Court ranks awarded posthumously are referred to as Joi . Those ranks are announced as of the last date of the recipient's life. Joi is posted in the official gazette same as decorations and medals.

2. Searching recipients

Users can search recipients through the following website.

• Materials related to awards（Cabinet Office）（Japanese）
  This includes the recipient lists for the Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, and Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers after the Second World War, as well as the recipient list for the Order of Culture from 2003 (Heisei 15) and later.
• Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals（Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan）
  This includes the list of foreign recipients from the fall of 2008 (Heisei 22) and later.

3. Reference materials and information

• The honors system in Japan（PDF3.8MB）by Ida Atsuhiko, compiled by Issue Brief （No. 829, 2014）（Japanese）
  This is a research material by the National Diet Library which summarizes the current status and issues of Japan's honors system as of 2014.

• History of Japan's honors system-Decorations and medals-（National Archives of Japan）（Japanese）
  This is a webpage of the special digital exhibition held in the National Archives of Japan, introducing Japan's system related to decorations and medals through various materials with images. Users can see the history of Japan's honors system from the Meiji period to the present.