Order of the Chrysanthemum

Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum
大勲位菊花章
*Dai-kun'i kikka-shō*
Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum; 大勲位菊花章; Dai-kun'i kikka-shō ;
	Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum
Awarded by the Emperor of Japan
Country	Japan
Awarded for	Exceptionally meritorious achievement/service
Status	Currently constituted
Founder	27 December 1876
Sovereign	HM The Emperor
Grades	Collar; Grand Cordon
Precedence
Next (higher)	None (highest)
Next (lower)	Order of the Paulownia Flowers
	; Ribbon of the Order; ;

The Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum (大勲位菊花章, Dai-kun'i kikka-shō) is Japan's highest order. The Grand Cordon of the Order was established in 1876 by Emperor Meiji of Japan; the Collar of the Order was added on 4 January 1888. Unlike its European counterparts, the order may be conferred posthumously.

Apart from the Imperial Family, only seven Japanese citizens have ever been decorated with the collar in their lifetimes; the last such award was to former Prime Minister Saionji Kinmochi in 1928. Eight others have been posthumously decorated with the collar; the last such award was to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022.^[1] Today, only the reigning Emperor holds this dignity as sovereign of the order; however, exceptions are made for foreign heads of state, who can be awarded the collar in friendship.

The grand cordon is the highest possible honour a Japanese citizen can be awarded during his or her lifetime. Aside from members of the Imperial Family, 53 Japanese citizens have been decorated with the grand cordon; of these, only 23 were living at the time of receipt.

^ "Japan honors ex-PM Abe with highest decoration, wake held in Tokyo". Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.

[1] "Japan honors ex-PM Abe with highest decoration, wake held in Tokyo". Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.

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