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With Japan’s New Money Out, Whither the 2000 Yen Bill?
There’s a lot of excitement around Japan’s new money. But what will happen to the increasingly rare 2000 yen bill?
By Marin Akasaka
The nearly obsolete 2000 yen bills were not included in the new series of Japanese yen banknotes issued on July 3, 2024.
On July 19, 2000, then Prime Minister Keizo Kobuichi issued the 2000 yen bill as a centerpiece for the “Millennium Project.” Another notable occasion for the new bill, the first of its kind since the 10,000 yen note introduced a new denomination, was to commemorate the G8 Kyushu-Okinawa Summit. On its first day of issuance, the bill attracted considerable attention, leading to long lines of eager customers at banks and ATMs.
The design of the 2000 yen bill
This is the only bill that does not have a portrait of a significant Japanese individual on the bill. Instead, pictured is the Shureimon Gate of the Shuri Castle in Okinawa, an important cultural and historical sight of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Tourists consider the Shuri Castle, especially the Shureimon, a must-visit spot. After being…
