Japan WW2 Patriotic Women's Association (Aikoku Fujinkai) Distinguished Service Badge

Special Merit Badge; In silver with red, white, blue, orange, green, pink and yellow enamels, unmarked, 33.5 mm (w) x 47 mm (h) inclusive of its cherry blossom suspension, the medal suspended from a silver gilt bar with pinback, on its original bow-tied ribbon, intact enamels, extremely fine. Silver and enamels. Displayed in an open wooden box (no lid).

The Patriotic Women's Association (Aikoku Fujinkai) is the oldest of the women's associations, having been founded on March 2, 1901 by Okumara Ioko. It was under the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Welfare. By 1940, it had 6,500,000 members in Japan and overseas. Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, there were association branches in Canada, the United States and Brazil, as well as in the various territories occupied by the Japanese armed forces. In February 1942, it merged with the Greater Japanese Women's Association for Protection of the Country and the Greater Japan Federation of Women's Associations into a new association which was called the Greater Japanese Women's Association. The Distinguished Service Badge (AKA Special Merit Badge) was the highest award of the Patriotic Women's Association (Aikoku Fujinkai).

Code: 4163