This ordinance was revised several times by Imperial Ordinances under the Meiji Constitution (Award giving was an Imperial prerogative under the Meiji Constitution), and was revised by Cabinet Orders (e.g. Cabinet Order No. 7 of 1955, Cabinet Order No. 278 of 2002) under the current Constitution of Japan as well because the ordinance was administratively interpreted to be valid as a cabinet order.
旧憲法下では勅令により数次の改正が行われており（旧憲法下では栄典の授与は天皇大権事項）、日本国憲法下の行政解釈でも政令としての効力を有するとの解釈のもと、政令で改正されたことがある（昭和30年政令第7号、平成14年政令第278号など）。