Japan will start issuing new banknotes on Wednesday, showcasing what it touts is the world's first use of cutting-edge holography that makes the portraits of historic figures look like they are rotating in 3D on the bills, one of their anti-counterfeit measures.
In the first design change in 20 years, the 10,000 yen, 5,000 yen, and 1,000 yen bills will have bigger face value numbers printed on them than the current versions, so all people, regardless of age and nationality, can recognize them easily, according to Japan's News Agency (Kyodo).
Tactile marks will allow visually impaired people to touch and tell which banknote they are holding.
By the end of March next year, nearly 7.5 billion new banknotes will have been printed, according to the government. Existing banknotes will remain valid even after the introduction of the new bills.
In Japan, 18.54 billion banknotes were in circulation at the end of 2023. If they were lined up horizontally, it would be equivalent to eight times the distance between Earth and the Moon, Bank of Japan data showed.
