The Order of the Paulownia Flowers (桐花章) is an order presented by the Japanese government. The award was established in 1888 during the Meiji Restoration as the highest award in the Order of the Rising Sun and has been an Order in its own right since 2003. The only grade of the order is Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers (桐花大綬章), which ranks higher than the Order of the Rising Sun, the Order of the Sacred Treasure, the Order of the Precious Crown, and the Order of Culture and lower than the Order of the Chrysanthemum. Traditionally, the order has been conferred upon eminent statesmen, former prime ministers and senior cabinet ministers, diplomats and judges. It may be conferred posthumously, and is the highest regularly conferred honor in the Japanese honours system. Awards are not made annually; only 24 individuals have been decorated with the order since 2003: 18 Japanese (three posthumously), three Americans (one of Japanese descent, United States Senator Daniel Inouye), one Indian (former Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh), one Singaporean (the first Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew, awarded posthumously) and one Malaysian (the fourth and seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad).

Insignia

The badge for the Order is a gilt cross with white enameled rays, bearing a central emblem of a red enameled sun disc surrounded by red rays, and with three paulownia blossoms between each arm of the cross. It is suspended from three enameled paulownia leaves on a sash in red with white border stripes, and is worn on the right shoulder. The star for the Order is the same as the badge, but without the paulownia leaves suspension. It is worn on the left chest.

Complete listing of ordinary (non-royal) recipients of the Order

Ordinary recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers (1888–2003)

Information from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia

Awards to living recipients

Posthumous awards

Ordinary recipients of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers (from 2003)

Information from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia

Awards to living recipients

Posthumous awards

Foreign recipients