Japanese Army Dogs

**Nick Komiya** · 09-14-2017, 08:33 AM

The awarding of animals in Army service began in June 1933. The unit got a citation from the Minister of the Army and the animal was presented the wearable award by the Regimental Commander. When these awards were to be worn was at the discretion of the unit commanders. As you see below, the leather bands were color coded by class, green being 1st class.

The design of the 1st and 2nd class awards for dogs and horses was done by the sculptor Jitsuzo Hinago (日名子実三), who had also done the War Medals for the Manchurian and China Incidents. The 3rd classes were both the work of Yuhachi Ikeda (池田勇八) a sculptor known for his horse themes.

More on the sculptor, Hinago here. Read posts 83 and 86. https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/japan...9/#post1773866

**arisakadogs** · 09-14-2017, 05:27 PM

This is very interesting information. I'd never heard of this anywhere else. Mucho Thanky!

**sitges1990** · 09-14-2017, 06:04 PM

Fascinating Nick. You always provide valuable information that is often obscure to most of us on this forum. I had no idea the Japanese had awards for their four legged and feathered friends. Thank you so much for the efforts that you put into this forum.

Jay

**Mathieu C** · 09-14-2017, 06:20 PM

Hi,

I know Mike B. has (at least) an awesome photo of a dog (german sheppard) with his own flag.

Make me think that every time I see a little Hinomaru Yosegaki I think it must be what we call a "bayonet flag". But in fact it could be something different, like a K9 Hinomaru.

Cheers,
Mat.

**Nick Komiya** · 09-14-2017, 06:31 PM

I don't know if you had seen the movie Hachi, starring Richard Gere, but that movie was loosely based on the true story of Hachiko, the legend of Shibuya Station

Hachiko's story of loyalty hit newspapers in October 1932, and it is not difficult to imagine that it was the direct inspiration for the Army to start animal awards on 1st June 1933.

The Japanese have long had a special relationship with dogs, as at one time, during the Edo period it even boasted perhaps what was the largest kennel in the world. A big part of what is Nakano ward of Tokyo today, an area about 22 football fields large was reserved for dogs to live in.

**Nick Komiya** · 09-14-2017, 07:36 PM

Note that in post 9, the dog shown in the middle of the three dogs being sent to war is named エス Esu (S), the same name as Hachiko's sibling. Hachiko's other dog mate was named "John", clearly unsuitable for wartime use.

**arisakadogs** · 09-14-2017, 07:57 PM

Wasn't Hachiko an Akita? The dog in my second photo at the top of this thread appears to be an Akita and I think it's probably a family pet rather than a war dog. It seems that all the true war dogs I see in original photos are Shepherds. The exception appears to be the dogs used to pull carts. They seem to be mixed breed dogs.

**Nick Komiya** · 09-14-2017, 08:12 PM

Hachiko was no war dog, only where the Army got the idea of officially recognizing the contributions of its animals. Back then, it was a sensational story that everyone knew. Unfortunately Hachi's original statue was melted down on 14th August 1945, a day before the surrender, because of the metal recovery program explained here https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/japan...badges-677442/

The Hachi statue ended becoming parts for a locomotive engine.

**arisakadogs** · 09-14-2017, 08:23 PM

The metal recovery program probably explains why so many early Type 99 rifles were picked up after the surrender in Japan with all their unnecessary parts missing like dust covers, monopods, AA sights etc.