Japanese July 7, 1937 Medal

The Japanese medal dated July 7, 1937, is a commemorative medal for the Marco Polo Bridge Incident (also referred to as the China Incident). This incident at the Lugou Bridge near Peking marked the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War, which eventually merged into World War II in Asia.

Characteristics of the Medal

Several versions of this commemorative medal are known to exist, including a larger "table medal" and the official campaign medal:

Table Medal (Commemorative Medal):

• Diameter: Approximately 55 mm.
• Obverse: Depicts a charging Japanese infantryman with a rifle.
• Reverse: Features an image of a Mitsubishi Ki-1 bomber and Japanese characters.
• Inscription: The text "支那事変記念" (Commemoration of the China Incident) and "昭和十二年" (Showa Year 12, which is 1937).
• Rarity: This specific medal is considered highly rare among collectors.

Historical Context

On July 7, 1937, a firefight broke out between Japanese and Chinese troops after Japanese military forces demanded access to the city of Wanping to search for a "missing" soldier. Although the soldier was later found, the conflict escalated into a full-scale invasion of China by Japan.