Article on Koga Tatsushiro receiving the Medal of Honor (Ryukyu Shimpo)

Koga Tatsushiro is honored

Concerning the award of the Blue Ribbon Medal to Mr Koga Tatsushiro by the Decoration Bureau, at 10 a.m. on the 24th yesterday, an award ceremony was held at the Prefectural Offices in the presence of Commissioners Kawamura, Wada and Kishimoto, Deputy Commissioners Gomi and Hashimoto, Naha Mayor Kiire, officers of the Secretariat, and others. With these gentlemen in attendance, Mr Koga entered the ceremonial hall dressed in a tailcoat, and first received the Blue Ribbon Medal from Prefectural Governor Hibi, then took five or six steps back, and with the help of the Secretariat officers immediately attached the medal to the left side of his chest. Finally, Commissioner Kawamura read out the Record of the Medal of Honor.
The text of the Record is as shown on the left (below).
Record of a Medal of Honor Awarded by Imperial Japan
Koga Tatsushiro, Aza Nishi, Naha Ward, Okinawa Prefecture

With an amiable disposition and a thriving interest in maritime affairs from an early age, Mr Koga resettled from Fukuoka Prefecture in 1879 and established his Head Office in Naha, thereafter undertaking the business of increasing production, and earnestly applied himself to harvesting and exporting marine products for many years. Besides this, he also explored the Senkaku Islands and was granted a license, and after gathering expert opinions, installed facilities for permanent residence. He then encouraged people to resettle there, invested his energy in a number of business enterprises including stuffing water fowl, gathering bird feathers and seafood, and manufacturing fertilizer, so that in 1907, the value of his harvest was more than 134,000 yen. Moreover, he aims to continue his development year by year in future.
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