List of Japanese court ranks, positions and hereditary titles
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The court ranks of Japan, also known in Japanese as ikai (位階), are indications of an individual's court rank in Japan based on the system of the state. Ikai as a system was the indication of the rank of bureaucrats and officials in countries that inherited (class system).
Currently, the Japanese court ranks and titles are among the types of honours conferred to those who have held government posts for a long time and to those who have made distinguished achievements. In recent times, most appointments, if not all, are offered posthumously. A notable recipient of such a court rank is the late former prime minister Shinzo Abe, who received Junior First Rank (従一位, ju ichi-i) on 8 July 2022.
Court ranks
The national system for ranking politicians and officials who served the Japanese dynasty began in 603 when Empress Suiko enacted the Twelve Level Cap and Rank System. Each rank was identified by the color of a crown the person with the rank wore. There were twelve ranks: Greater Virtue (大徳, dai-toku), Lesser Virtue (小徳, shō-toku), Greater Benevolence (大仁, dai-jin), Lesser Benevolence (小仁, shō-jin), Greater Propriety (大礼, dai-rei), Lesser Propriety (小礼, shō-rei), Greater Sincerity (大信, dai-shin), Lesser Sincerity (小信, shō-shin), Greater Justice (大義, dai-gi), Lesser Justice (小義, shō-gi), Greater Knowledge (大智, dai-chi), and Lesser Knowledge (小智, shō-chi), from top to bottom.
The ranking system underwent several amendments and was developed by the Taiho Code enacted in 701. Under this system, ranks were established for the Imperial family members and vassals like the following:
Ranks for Imperial family members
An Emperor was not ranked.
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