BOJ shows test of readers for new bank notes

Jiji Press

12:26 JST, November 22, 2022

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The Bank of Japan on Monday unveiled to the media a test of readers for the new bank notes that will be issued from the first half of fiscal 2024.

In the test at the National Printing Bureau’s Tokyo plant, makers of equipment for reading bank notes in vending machines and cash registers at shops collected data using specimens of new bank notes and checked the operations of the new readers.

“Preparations are steadily progressing for the change [of bank notes], including the launch of mass production in June,” said Hiroyuki Kanno, director-general of the BOJ’s Currency Issue Department.

The test started in January. So far, 29 companies and one organization have participated.

Monday’s round was the third and used specimens of the new ¥10,000, ¥ 5,000 and ¥ 1,000 bills.

The new ¥ 10,000 bill will have a portrait of Eiichi Shibusawa, dubbed the father of Japanese capitalism. The new ¥ 5,000 and ¥ 1,000 bills will feature Umeko Tsuda, who promoted education for women, and Shibasaburo Kitasato, known as the father of modern medicine in the country, respectively.

The new bills will carry 3D holograms of the three figures, becoming the world’s first to have such designs.

Specimens of the new bills are scheduled to be put on public display from spring 2023 at the BOJ’s Currency Museum in Tokyo and Otaru Museum in the city of Otaru, Hokkaido.