Order of the Golden Kite

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The Order of the Golden Kite (金鵄勲章, Kinshi Kunsho^?) was a Japanese Order (decoration), established on 12 February 1889 by Emperor Meiji. It was an exclusively military award, conferred for bravery, leadership or command in battle. It was officially abolished by the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers of Occupied Japan in 1947.

The order consisted of seven classes. Enlisted rank soldiers were eligible for the 7th - 5th classes, non-commissioned officers were eligible for the 6th - 4th classes, junior officers for the 5th - 3rd classes, field grade officers for the 4th-2nd classes and general officers for the 3rd-1st classes.

Order of the Golden Kite, 5th Class

A total of 1,067,492 Order of the Golden Kite awards were made over the history of the order, most of them in the two lower 6th and 7th classes. Only 41 of the 1st class and 201 of the 2nd class were awarded.

By conflict:

First Sino-Japanese War: approx. 2000
Russo-Japanese War: approx. 109,600
World War I: approx. 3000
Manchurian Incident: approx. 9000
Second Sino-Japanese War: approx. 190,000
Pacific War: approx. 630,000

The award came with an annual monetary stipend, ranking from 900 Yen for the 1st class to 65 Yen for the 7th class. Since the monthly pay for a private in the Imperial Japanese Army at the time was 8 Yen, 80 sen, this amounted to a very substantial reward. The monetary stipend was abolished in 1940.

[edit] Symbology

The badge depicts a golden kite, a messenger of the kami as described in the ancient chronicle Nihon Shoki, which helped Emperor Jimmu defeat his enemies in battle. The golden kite stands on an eight-pointed star with 32 rays enameled in red. Below the kite are two crossed ancient samurai shields, enameled blue, with two crossed swords enameled yellow, with silver hilts. On one side is a halberd (enameled green with white trappings), with the mitsu tomoe Shinto symbol on red banners. The reverse side is plain.

The badge was gilt for the 1st-5th classes and silver for the 5th-7th classes. It was suspended on a ribbon in blue-green with a white stripe near the edges, worn as a sash on the right shoulder by the 1st class, as a necklet by the 2nd and 3rd classes, on the left chest by the 4th and 5th classes. The 6th and 7th class badge was non-enameled.

The star of the 1st and 2nd classes was similar to the badge as described above, but with both red and yellow enameled rays. It was worn on the left chest by the 1st class, on the right chest by the 2nd class.