The government might ask vending machine makers to improve the capability of sensors in their products to tackle an increasing number of fake 500 yen coin discoveries in Japan, a Finance Ministry official said Friday.

Officials from the Finance Ministry, National Police Agency and other related government offices agreed during a meeting that the government should make such a request to the Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers Association, the official said.

It was reported at the meeting that some counterfeit 500 yen coins had been accepted at automated teller machines and vending machines during tests using several dozen fake coins, the official said.