Interesting short article that was published in 1967 by Medal Collector.
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Regarding Postwar Revival of Japanese Honors System
REVIVAL OF JAPANESE HONORS SYSTEM
by Kiyoaki Murata
(This article originally appeared in "The Japan Times Weekly" issue of 5 Oct. 1963 and was submitted by Mr. David R. Northey. With the ever-increasing interest in the collecting and study of Japanese awards and the recent publication of Mr. James W. Peterson’s "Orders and Medals of Japan and Associated States", it was felt that this article would prove of interest to our readers, particularly as it is written from the Japanese point of view.)
Reinstatement of Orders - Sign That Japan is Trying to Regain Identity
Sometimes this fall the Government is expected to confer decorations of various kinds and classes upon about 1,500 living persons for their meritorious services to the state and to community.
When this is done, it will end the 17-year period in which awarding of state honors, with certain exceptions, has been suspended. The system of decorations to be revived this year was initially instituted by the Government of Meiji Japan in 1875. It was based on two principal elements: the medieval tradition of awarding warriors for their services in battle, and the European system the Meiji leaders wanted to adopt. The Japanese took interest in the European system for the first time in 1867 when a representative of the shegunate, attending an exposition in Paris, realized the importance of orders and decorations in European society. He recommended to the shogunate that such a system be established in Japan. In 1871 the Emperor Meiji directed that the Government study the matter. After four years of subsequent deliberations, the system was inaugurated with the creation of the Order of the Rising Sun in eight classes.
Orders Established
In 1877 was created the Order of the Chrysanthemum in one class, which was higher in rank than the first class of the Order of the Rising Sun. Other orders established since then include: the Order of the Crown (1888) in eight classes for women; the Order of the Sacred Treasure (1888) in eight classes; originally for men only and later for women too; the Order of the Gold Kite (1890) in seven classes for military men. The Order of Cultural Merit in one class was created in 1937. These decorations, except the Order of Cultural Merit, were awarded primarily to Government officials and soldiers, and only about 30 percent of them were bestowed upon private individuals. This fact is in conformity with the function of decorations - promoting state interests and stimulating individual contributions to the state. Bemedaled men and women of pre-1945 Japan enjoyed priority over others in receiving invitations to the receptions held within the Palace or to the parties for viewing cherry blossoms and chrysanthemum flowers at the Shinjuku Imperial Garden. A medal awarded by the Emperor was the pass to Japan’s "establishment".
Lost Raison d’Etre
Yet, this system of decorations lost much of its raison d’etre after Japan’s defeat in World War II, and the consequent collapse of the old order and values. There were no more soldiers and peers. And the civil service system was drastically reformed - at least in theory; a civil servant was no longer in his majesty’s service but was a servant of the public. The basis for decorations, therefore, vanished and the Government in May 1946 made a Cabinet decision to suspend the decorations system in principle. But the Order of Cultural Merit was not; nor was the awarding of orders upon aliens, members of the Imperial Household and of Japanese citizens who were either dead or dying discontinued.
The suspension, however, was not to he permanent. The Government has since then attempted to revive the decorations system in modified form. The Katayama Cabinet in 1948 already began studying a new honors system. The Ashida Cabinet submitted an honors system bill but it died stillborn in the House of Councillors. Similar attempts were made by the Yoshida, Hatoyama and Kishi Cabinets throughout the 1950s. without success, largely because of opposition by Socialists. Realizing the futility of any attempt at restoring the decorations system through legislation, the present Government headed by Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda circumvented the Diet by making a Cabinet decision. The rationale is that a Cabinet decision, rather than a law, is sufficient to undo what another Cabinet decision did in 1946. According to the July 1963 decision, decorations of first class or up are to be conferred by the Emperor himself within the Palace. Second class decorations are by the Prime Minister, and third class and below by Cabinet ministers.The Order of Cultural Merit is to be conferred in the Palace by the Prime Minister in the presence of the Emperor, as before.
Socialists 0bject
The Socialists promptly objected to this decision, charging that it was "illegal and unjust" and demanded that Government revoke it. Chairman Jotaro Kawakami of the Socialist Party even suggested that the action was a violation of the Constitution. On the other hand, the Government position is as follows: although the provisions in the new Constitution prescribing the rights and duties of the citizens invalidated many of the prewar imperial ordinances and decrees that dealt with the rights and duties of the subjects, those concerning orders and decorations were not affected because "honors are not rights". Hence the Cabinet decision for setting down rules about orders and decorations is not unconstitutional. What appears to be in support of this view is an article in the Constitution itself. Art. 14 reads in part: "No privilege shall accompany any award or honor, decoration or any such distinction, nor shall any such award be valid beyond the lifetime of the individual who now holds or hereafter may receive it." The last portion of the article clearly anticipates that decorations may be given even under the new Constitution. The Cabinet decision has solved one problem for many Japanese leaders - in Government, legislature or business. The problem was that the bare-chested Japanese were embarrassed in the presence of bemedaled and beribboned foreigners at public functions.
Criteria Needed
But at the same time, the decision has created a practical and immediate problem - that of determining a set of criteria for awarding decorations which can stand criticism and satisfy everyone while, of course, serving the purpose for which the honors system is supposed to exist. Officials in the Bureau of Decorations in the Prime Minister’s Offlee are believed to be now engaged in the unenviable task of deciding who receives what order in what class. Most likely to come in for criticism would be a blanket rule by which, for instance, a Dietman who has served in that capacity for a certain number of years is to be given a certain order of a certain class instead specifying a merit. An affirmative view of the current development, on the other hand would be that the reinstitution of the decorations system is another sign of Japan attempting to regain her own identity. Toward such an end, the decoration of living citizens would be a constructive step as long as it is based on a set of criteria, on which the majority of the population can agree. If such a system can be achieved, then it would make a significant contribution to the restoration of normal values in Japan.
by Kiyoaki Murata
(This article originally appeared in "The Japan Times Weekly" issue of 5 Oct. 1963 and was submitted by Mr. David R. Northey. With the ever-increasing interest in the collecting and study of Japanese awards and the recent publication of Mr. James W. Peterson’s "Orders and Medals of Japan and Associated States", it was felt that this article would prove of interest to our readers, particularly as it is written from the Japanese point of view.)
Reinstatement of Orders - Sign That Japan is Trying to Regain Identity
Sometimes this fall the Government is expected to confer decorations of various kinds and classes upon about 1,500 living persons for their meritorious services to the state and to community.
When this is done, it will end the 17-year period in which awarding of state honors, with certain exceptions, has been suspended. The system of decorations to be revived this year was initially instituted by the Government of Meiji Japan in 1875. It was based on two principal elements: the medieval tradition of awarding warriors for their services in battle, and the European system the Meiji leaders wanted to adopt. The Japanese took interest in the European system for the first time in 1867 when a representative of the shegunate, attending an exposition in Paris, realized the importance of orders and decorations in European society. He recommended to the shogunate that such a system be established in Japan. In 1871 the Emperor Meiji directed that the Government study the matter. After four years of subsequent deliberations, the system was inaugurated with the creation of the Order of the Rising Sun in eight classes.
Orders Established
In 1877 was created the Order of the Chrysanthemum in one class, which was higher in rank than the first class of the Order of the Rising Sun. Other orders established since then include: the Order of the Crown (1888) in eight classes for women; the Order of the Sacred Treasure (1888) in eight classes; originally for men only and later for women too; the Order of the Gold Kite (1890) in seven classes for military men. The Order of Cultural Merit in one class was created in 1937. These decorations, except the Order of Cultural Merit, were awarded primarily to Government officials and soldiers, and only about 30 percent of them were bestowed upon private individuals. This fact is in conformity with the function of decorations - promoting state interests and stimulating individual contributions to the state. Bemedaled men and women of pre-1945 Japan enjoyed priority over others in receiving invitations to the receptions held within the Palace or to the parties for viewing cherry blossoms and chrysanthemum flowers at the Shinjuku Imperial Garden. A medal awarded by the Emperor was the pass to Japan’s "establishment".
Lost Raison d’Etre
Yet, this system of decorations lost much of its raison d’etre after Japan’s defeat in World War II, and the consequent collapse of the old order and values. There were no more soldiers and peers. And the civil service system was drastically reformed - at least in theory; a civil servant was no longer in his majesty’s service but was a servant of the public. The basis for decorations, therefore, vanished and the Government in May 1946 made a Cabinet decision to suspend the decorations system in principle. But the Order of Cultural Merit was not; nor was the awarding of orders upon aliens, members of the Imperial Household and of Japanese citizens who were either dead or dying discontinued.
The suspension, however, was not to he permanent. The Government has since then attempted to revive the decorations system in modified form. The Katayama Cabinet in 1948 already began studying a new honors system. The Ashida Cabinet submitted an honors system bill but it died stillborn in the House of Councillors. Similar attempts were made by the Yoshida, Hatoyama and Kishi Cabinets throughout the 1950s. without success, largely because of opposition by Socialists. Realizing the futility of any attempt at restoring the decorations system through legislation, the present Government headed by Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda circumvented the Diet by making a Cabinet decision. The rationale is that a Cabinet decision, rather than a law, is sufficient to undo what another Cabinet decision did in 1946. According to the July 1963 decision, decorations of first class or up are to be conferred by the Emperor himself within the Palace. Second class decorations are by the Prime Minister, and third class and below by Cabinet ministers.The Order of Cultural Merit is to be conferred in the Palace by the Prime Minister in the presence of the Emperor, as before.
Socialists 0bject
The Socialists promptly objected to this decision, charging that it was "illegal and unjust" and demanded that Government revoke it. Chairman Jotaro Kawakami of the Socialist Party even suggested that the action was a violation of the Constitution. On the other hand, the Government position is as follows: although the provisions in the new Constitution prescribing the rights and duties of the citizens invalidated many of the prewar imperial ordinances and decrees that dealt with the rights and duties of the subjects, those concerning orders and decorations were not affected because "honors are not rights". Hence the Cabinet decision for setting down rules about orders and decorations is not unconstitutional. What appears to be in support of this view is an article in the Constitution itself. Art. 14 reads in part: "No privilege shall accompany any award or honor, decoration or any such distinction, nor shall any such award be valid beyond the lifetime of the individual who now holds or hereafter may receive it." The last portion of the article clearly anticipates that decorations may be given even under the new Constitution. The Cabinet decision has solved one problem for many Japanese leaders - in Government, legislature or business. The problem was that the bare-chested Japanese were embarrassed in the presence of bemedaled and beribboned foreigners at public functions.
Criteria Needed
But at the same time, the decision has created a practical and immediate problem - that of determining a set of criteria for awarding decorations which can stand criticism and satisfy everyone while, of course, serving the purpose for which the honors system is supposed to exist. Officials in the Bureau of Decorations in the Prime Minister’s Offlee are believed to be now engaged in the unenviable task of deciding who receives what order in what class. Most likely to come in for criticism would be a blanket rule by which, for instance, a Dietman who has served in that capacity for a certain number of years is to be given a certain order of a certain class instead specifying a merit. An affirmative view of the current development, on the other hand would be that the reinstitution of the decorations system is another sign of Japan attempting to regain her own identity. Toward such an end, the decoration of living citizens would be a constructive step as long as it is based on a set of criteria, on which the majority of the population can agree. If such a system can be achieved, then it would make a significant contribution to the restoration of normal values in Japan.