Japanese Red Cross - Special Membership medal in Silver

This is probably the most famous/infamous medal in Danish military circles.

Countless stories and rumors exist about this medal...

I will try to come up with some real information and hopefully dispel some of the worst mistake.

Facts:

•The medal is an official Japanese decoration.

•It is awarded by the Japanese Red Cross.

•It is included in the Danish Royal Court & State Calendar as a recognized foreign decoration.

•The Defence Command/Defence Personnel Service has, upon application, granted a carrying permit on Danish military uniform in several cases.

•The medal is awarded together with a large diploma written in Japanese characters + a translation in English.

•The medal must be worn with a red/white rosette on the medal ribbon – this also applies to the ribbon.

How to acquire it:

The medal was instituted in 1888 and was awarded until sometime around 1990!

It was awarded to foreign persons who had the status of "special member" of the Japanese Red Cross Society – that is, all foreigners who joined the Japanese Red Cross and paid a certain fee received the medal.

This was the only way it could be acquired!

Subsequently, an application had to be made for a carrying permit from the Defence Command. Not since the end of the 1980s have many new carrying permits been given for this medal!

Some rumors about the medal:

•You can just buy the medal and then wear it - NO

• Anyone who has a first aid badge can wear it – NO

•No approval is required - NO

•Everyone who has been deployed in a UN or NATO mission has the right to wear it - NO

Unfortunately, I am well aware that some of the rumors originate from an enterprising "businessman" in the Viborg DK area who has had a large batch of replica medals made and subsequently sold them, - however, these medals are not mounted with a rosette on the ribbon.

These medals have been seen worn in large numbers by Home Guard people and other Soldiers who have been given the impression that they were in their good right to weare them, as the stories they got from the seller said that they were allowed to...

If you see the medal worn by someone – please note:

•Is there a red/white rosette on the ribbon?

•Can an official diploma from the Japanese Red Cross be presented with the person's name?

•Is there anything about carrying permission from FKO/FPT in the person's papers in SAP?

If not, then it is probably just a copy medal that is wrongfully worn...