The 1st Sino-Japanese War took place between August 1, 1894 and April 17, 1895, mainly driven by Japanese interest in annexing Korea, or at least securing its independence from other powers that might occupy it in a way that would pose a threat to their territory, the conflict began with the sinking without warning of the Chinese Navy ship Gaosheng, After several defeats by the Chinese Navy and Armies, supposedly more modern and far superior in numbers to their Japanese counterparts, the Chinese Government requested peace in April 1895, accepting Japanese conditions in terms of war reparations and cessions concerning the Korean Government.

 

 

This was the first "campaign" medal established by the Japanese Government since the beginning of the Meiji era, and militarily it was the litmus test for the Japanese troops that since the fall of the Shogunate had undergone a profound modernization based on Western armies.

 

The medal is bronze, with a diameter of 30.5 mm, its case is black lacquered wood, with the interior lined in red silk, the lid of the box is smooth, without text as other later Japanese decorations.