Japan’s revamped ¥10,000, ¥5,000 and ¥1,000 banknotes were first issued on Wednesday. The notes feature some of the world’s leading anti-counterfeiting technologies and feature historical figures.
The Bank of Japan expects to put a total of ¥1.6 trillion ($9.9 billion) of new banknotes into circulation on Wednesday alone, Governor Kazuo Ueda said at a ceremony at the central bank’s Foreign Exchange Issuance Department on Wednesday morning.
“While cashless transactions are becoming increasingly popular, cash remains a reliable means of payment that can be used by anyone, anytime, anywhere,” he said, adding that he hopes the new banknotes will serve as a “lubricant” to support the country’s economy.
