Order of the Rising Sun

Japanese: 旭日章 - きょくじつしょう

A type of Japanese medal. When the Meiji government established the Order of the Rising Sun (Dajokan Proclamation No. 54) in 1875 (Meiji 8) and began bestowing medals, it became the first medal in Japan, with eight grades from the First to the Eighth Class (however, the Seventh and Eighth Class medals were called the Paulownia Leaf Medal). The medal was awarded to "those who have made distinguished contributions to the nation or the public." The following year, in 1876, the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum was created above the Order of the Rising Sun, and in 1888, the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum was placed at the highest rank. As for the Order of the Rising Sun, the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers was added above the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers, bringing the total to nine grades. At the same time, in addition to the Order of the Rising Sun, which was for men, the Order of the Precious Crown (8th grade) and the Order of the Sacred Treasure (8th grade), which was lower in rank, were also newly established for women. After World War II, the awarding of the Order to survivors was suspended, but was resumed in 1964 (Showa 39), and the same system of awards was continued. However, in August 2002 (Heisei 14), a Cabinet decision was made on the "Reform of the Honors System," which streamlined the grades of the Order of the Rising Sun into six, and abolished numbers such as the First Class. At the same time, the Order of the Rising Sun and the Order of the Sacred Treasure were made equal in rank and unified for both men and women, and the difference between the two awards was made clear that the Order of the Rising Sun focuses on the content of the achievements, while the Order of the Sacred Treasure focuses on the accumulation of meritorious service. Currently, recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun include public officials from the national to local levels, officials of public interest organizations such as occupational and industry-specific organizations, business executives, and people who have made outstanding achievements in various fields of society, and are divided into six categories according to the level of achievement: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, Order of the Rising Sun with Gold Rays with Rosette, Order of the Rising Sun with Single Rays, and Order of the Rising Sun with Single Rays . The designs of the Order of the Rising Sun vary slightly, but the basics are the same, with octagonal rays ( rising rays ) arranged around the sun emblem, and paulownia flowers and leaves used for the knob .

Source: Kodansha Encyclopedia of Medals and Awards

Japanese:

日本の勲章の一種。1875年（明治8）に明治政府が勲等賞牌(しょうはい)を制定（太政官布告第54号）して叙勲を開始した際、日本で最初の勲章となり、勲一等から勲八等までの8等級が制定された（ただし、勲七等と勲八等の勲章の名は桐葉章(とうようしょう)）。対象は、「国家又ハ公共ニ対シ勲績アル者」とされた。翌1876年に旭日章の上に大勲位菊花大綬章(だいくんいきっかだいじゅしょう)が新設され、さらに1888年、最上位に大勲位菊花章頸飾(だいくんいきっかしょうけいしょく)がおかれた。旭日章に関しては、勲一等旭日大綬章(くんいっとうきょくじつだいじゅしょう)の上に勲一等旭日桐花(とうか)大綬章が追加され、9等級となった。同時に、男性を対象とした旭日章に加えて、同格で女性を対象とした宝冠章(ほうかんしょう)（8等級）、同じ等級の中では下位におかれた瑞宝章(ずいほうしょう)（8等級）も新設された。その後、第二次世界大戦後に生存者叙勲は一時停止されたが、1964年（昭和39）に再開され、同じ勲章制度が引き継がれた。しかし、2002年（平成14）8月の閣議決定「栄典制度の改革について」により、旭日章の等級は6つに整理され、勲一等などの数字は廃止された。同時に、旭日章と瑞宝章を同格にして男女共通とし、2つの章の違いを、功績の内容に着目する旭日章と、功労の積み重ねに着目する瑞宝章という性格におくことを明確にした。現在の旭日章の対象は、国レベルから地方レベルまでの公職、職種別・業種別団体など公益性を有する団体の役員、企業経営者、また社会の各分野で顕著な功績をあげた人などで、功績の度合いにより、次の6つに分かれる。旭日大綬章、旭日重光章、旭日中綬章、旭日小綬章、旭日双光章、旭日単光章。旭日章の意匠(いしょう)はそれぞれ多少異なるが基本は同じで、日章を中心に八角の光線（旭光(きょっこう)）を配し、鈕(ちゅう)には桐の花葉を用いている。

出典　講談社勲章・褒章がわかる事典について　情報

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