After 20 years, Japan is unveiling newly redesigned ¥10,000, ¥5,000, and ¥1,000 banknotes, integrating advanced technologies and honouring significant historical figures. These figures, Eiichi Shibusawa, Umeko Tsuda, and Shibasaburo Kitasato, represent the values and achievements of Japanese culture. While digital payments gain popularity, local enthusiasm is high, especially in the hometowns of these individuals.
What are the new features of banknotes?
These banknotes showcase advanced security features that testify to Japan's commitment to innovation and safety. The ¥10,000 and ¥5,000 notes feature three-dimensional holographic stripes that show the portraits at different angles, making them extremely difficult to counterfeit. The ¥1,000 note also has a similar holographic patch at the bottom left corner. Moreover, banknotes feature enlarged Arabic numerals for more precise identification, significantly reducing crime involving counterfeit notes in recent years. Additionally, on the back side of the banknote, the ¥10,000, ¥5,000, and ¥1,000 banknotes feature Tokyo Station's Marunouchi Building, Japanese wisteria flowers, and ukiyo-e painter Katsushika Hokusai's iconic "The Great Wave off Kanagawa," respectively.
Who are the new faces of banknotes?
The new face of ¥10,000 notes features Eiichi Shibusawa, the "father of Japanese capitalism." Throughout his lifetime, he established 500 companies, some currently listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. On the other hand, the new face on the ¥5,000 note is Umeko Tsuda, one of the first-ever Japanese women to study overseas. After returning to Japan, she founded a women-only English school that became one of Japan's most prestigious women's universities. She was also the first Japanese woman to publish a paper in a Western academic journal. Lastly, the new face of the ¥1,000 banknote is Shibasaburo Kitasato, a bacteriologist nominated for the first Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 1901; he co-discovered an antitoxin against diphtheria with Emil von Behring.
Where to get these banknotes?
These banknotes were distributed to financial institutions last Wednesday. The Central Bank and the Finance Ministry, responsible for issuing and circulating currency, have confirmed that old banknotes will still be accepted once the new ones are circulated.
