A Chinese man has been arrested after 54 fake 10,000 yen bills were passed at a shopping promenade in Tokyo's Asakusa district, police officials said Wednesday.
Liang Binghao, 32, was arrested Friday for not carrying a passport after a shop owner told police he believed Liang had tried to use a fake 10,000 yen bill in his shop.
Liang was found carrying some 20 fake 10,000 yen bills, police said.
Police plan to serve a second arrest warrant on Liang, a jobless man without a fixed address, on suspicion of passing fake bills.
When Liang offered the bank note to the shop owner Friday morning, the owner became suspicious and questioned him about the bill. The suspect fled the shop and was apprehended by police.
The Nakamisedori shopping promenade stretches in front of the famous Sensoji Temple. The bills were used at 40 of the 86 shops along the arcade.
The bills are good imitations and have watermarks, according to police. Similar bills have also turned up in Tokyo's Shinjuku and Ueno districts.