The Medals and Decorations of General Fukushima

[Richard LaTondre]

There is a chapter of the book, The Golden Kite, on (page 225) that covers Fukushima's medals and decorations. It also addresses the Japanese protocols in awarding the Japanese medals.

One of the most sensitive items was: "What type and grade of an award can we give Lieutenant Colonel Fukushima for his successful mission?". This was a very intricate and delicate problem created by the fact that he had already been awarded the Order of the Red Eagle Third Class from the Emperor of Germany. This was a very high award for a field grade officer, let alone a foreigner. In order to at least match that award the Vice Chief-of-Staff, Lieutenant Soroku Kawakami suggested he be awarded the Order of the Rising Sun Second Class.

However, the strict rules for the awarding of medals in Japan during the conservative Meiji military period were very strict. There was no precedence in awarding a 'nine level jump' which apparently would have been the case if Fukushima were to be awarded the Order of the Rising Sun Second Class. But Kawakami tried to slip the recommendation through the approval process. It was approved and passed on to the Minister of the Army, Lieutenant General Iwao Oyama for final approval. His deputy, Major General Kodama disapproved the recommendation.

Richard LaTondre

[Paul L Murphy]

A 5th Class or 4th Class Rising Sun would have been the normal award that a Lt Colonel would have received.

[Richard LaTondre]

I would agree, However the situation was somewhat more complex because of Emperor Willhem's award of the Third Class Red Eagle to him. They had to give him an award at least of equal grade to that given to him by a foreign government otherwise it could give the impression that Fukushima's mission was really not all that significant. Perhaps that is what the Japanese military intended . . . .to downplay the importance of the mission and not highlight it. Fukushima had previously been awarded the Sixth Class Sacred treasure. The following is taken from the Osaka Shimbun, June 10th 1893:

". . . His left chest is bedazzled with medals, He is wearing the Sixth Class 'zui Ho Sho (Sacred Treasure), awarded by the Emperor himself, the Third Class Order of the Red Eagle awarded by the Emperor of Germany, the Fourth Class Order of Leopold for services rendered in the Crimea, and the Third Class Order of Danilo from Montenegro for services during the Ottoman War." I believe that this was a delicate situation in which the Japanese did not want to appear to be rewarding this man for his reconnaisance mission. It was not considered gentlemanly to engage in spying. Fukushima was eventually awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure Third Class which was considered a 'six level increase' I have no idea how they arrived at a 'six level increase'

[Paul L Murphy]

Interesting. I can work out that this would have been a five level increase, but not six ! Even then you have to think that the Rising Sun and Sacred Treasure are two levels (even for the same class). A 3rd Class Sacred Treasure would normally have been earned by an officer below the rank of general once they had served about 30 years since it tended to be used as a long service award in the military. I guess they wanted something to hang around his neck but the 3rd Class Rising Sun was a step too far.