The 1941-45 Great East Asia War Medal (or 大東亜戦争従軍記章, Daitōa sensō jūgun kishō in Japanese) was a Japanese medal established on June 21, 1944 by Imperial Edict No. 417.
It’s not clear to whom this medal would have been awarded, but it was likely designed to become a common medal
like the China Incident War Medal. After the war ended in defeat, the circa 10,000 struck medals were destroyed by the American occupying forces.
To commemorate the 35th Anniversary of the end of the war, a new series of medals were struck by the Nihon Gouyuu Renmei, which may be translated as Federation of Japan Nationalists. The new medal bears the inscription ‘Great East Asia War, Showa 16 [1941] December 8th to Showa 20 [1945] August 15th.’
The 1941-45 Great East Asia War Medal Design
The medal was designed by the famous sculptor and designer Hinago Jitsuzou (1892-1945). It’s a a tin alloy on jointed suspension bar. The attached bar reads ‘War Medal.’
The obverse has a central Imperial Mum crest imposed on two crossed Japanese swords and, a rayed star and a ring of blossoms on the rim. The reverse a map of East Asia, inscribed with characters meaning ‘Great East Asia War Medal’.
Several post-war replicas made for veterans in the 1960s.
