The 1914-20 First World War Medal is a Japanese medal established on November 6, 1915 by Imperial Edict No. 203 to commemorate Japanese participation in World War I.
The medal was issued to naval personnel who served in the Japanese fleet in the Mediterranean during the Great War and to the military participating in the Japanese expedition to Siberia from 1918 to 1922 aimed at the Soviet Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War that followed the October 1917 revolution.
The 1914-20 First World War Medal Design
The award is a blackened bronze circular medal with ornate swivel suspension with bar inscribed ‘ju-gun-ki-sho’ (War Medal).
The obverse bears with crossed Imperial army and navy flags, a chrysanthemum crest above, sprays of pauwlona below. The reverse shows ten characters in three columns ‘tai-sho-san-nen-nai-shi-kyu-nen-sen-eki’ (Taisho 3rd Year to 9th Year War’ – Taisho 3 to 9 = AD1914 to 1920).
The ribbon has a hook and eye fittings. The medal was issued in a fitted wooden case with pale cream felt lining, the lid embossed in gilt characters ‘tai-sho-san-nen-nai-shi-kyu-nen-sen-eki-ju-gun-ki-sho’ (Taisho 3-9 War Military Service Medal).
