Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki announced Friday the start of printing of redesigned 1,000 yen bills, which will go into circulation in July.
The front of the new 1,000 yen note features Japanese microbiologist Hideyo Noguchi (1876-1928), known for his research on yellow fever in Africa. It carries a picture of Mount Fuji and cherry blossoms on the back.
The bank note, whose redesign was announced last year, also contains anticounterfeit features. These include the use of special ink that radiates in response to ultraviolet light, and micro-size letters that are difficult to reproduce with copying machines.
"The new bank note has a similar image to the one that is in circulation," Tanigaki told a news conference.
