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Security Features of Bank of Japan Notes

October 31, 2019
Bank of Japan

Portraits placed on 10,000 yen note (Yukichi Fukuzawa), 5,000 yen note (Ichiyo Higuchi), and 1,000 yen note (Hideyo Noguchi).

10,000 yen note

Size: 76 x 160 mm
Date of first issue: Nov. 1, 2004

  • image of the front of a 10,000 yen note

    Front

  • image of the back of a 10,000 yen note

    Back

Details of the security features

  1. (1) Watermark
    • image of the watermark of a 10,000 yen note
  2. (2) Ultrafine-line printing
    • image of the ultrafine-line printing of a 10,000 yen note
  3. (3) Hologram

    When the banknote is tilted, the color and pattern of the design change.

    • image of the holograms of a 10,000 yen note
  4. (4) Watermark-bar-pattern

    When the banknote is held up to the light, three vertical watermark bars (two bars for the 5,000 yen note, one for the 1,000 yen note) become visible. This feature is more difficult to reproduce with personal computers or color copiers than the traditional watermark.

    • image of the watermark-bar-pattern of a 10,000 yen note
  5. (5) Latent image

    When the banknote is viewed from a certain angle, the number "10000" appears on the bottom left of the front side, and the word "NIPPON" ("Japan" in Japanese) on the top right of the back side.

    • image of the latent image on the front of a 10,000 yen note
    • image of the latent image on the back of a 10,000 yen note
  6. (6) Pearl ink

    When viewed from different angles, a semi-transparent pattern printed with pink pearl ink appears in the blank areas of the left and right margins of the front of the note.

    • image of the pearl ink of a 10,000 yen note
  7. (7) Microprinting

    The 10,000 yen note has the words "NIPPON GINKO" ("Bank of Japan" in Japanese) printed in micro letters. Micro letters of different sizes are also included in the background design.

    • image of the microprinting of a 10,000 yen note
  8. (8) Luminescent ink

    The Governor's seal on the front side glows orange under ultraviolet light. Likewise, some parts of the background pattern fluoresce yellowish-green.

    • image of the luminescent ink of a 10,000 yen note
  9. (9) Intaglio printing

    Raised printing is used for selected parts of the design, where ink is raised even higher than the ink on older series of notes. Bank of Japan notes feel rough to the touch.

    • image of the intaglio printing of a 10,000 yen note
  10. (10) Tactile marks (intaglio printing)

    To assist the visually impaired in detecting the note by touch, a recognition symbol with a rougher texture, printed intaglio, is adopted.

    • image of the tactile marks of a 10,000 yen note

5,000 yen note

Size: 76 x 156 mm
Date of first issue: Nov. 1, 2004

  • image of the front of a 5,000 yen note

    Front

  • image of the back of a 5,000 yen note

    Back

Details of the security features

  1. (1) Watermark
    • image of the watermark of a 5,000 yen note
  2. (2) Ultrafine-line printing
    • image of the ultrafine-line printing of a 5,000 yen note
  3. (3) Hologram

    When the banknote is tilted, the color and pattern of the design change.

    • image of the holograms of a 5,000 yen note
  4. (4) Watermark-bar-pattern

    When the banknote is held up to the light, two vertical watermark bars (three bars for the 10,000 yen note, one for the 1,000 yen note) become visible. This feature is more difficult to reproduce with personal computers or color copiers than the traditional watermark.

    • image of the watermark-bar-pattern of a 5,000 yen note
  5. (5) Latent image

    When the banknote is viewed from a certain angle, the number "5000" appears on the center bottom of the front side, and the word "NIPPON" ("Japan" in Japanese) on the right in the middle of the back side.

    • image of the latent image of a 5,000 yen note
  6. (6) Pearl ink

    When viewed from different angles, a semi-transparent pattern printed with pink pearl ink appears in the blank areas of the left and right margins of the front of the note.

    • image of the pearl ink of a 5,000 yen note
  7. (7) Microprinting

    The 5,000 yen note has the words "NIPPON GINKO" ("Bank of Japan" in Japanese) printed in micro letters. Micro letters of different sizes are also included in the background design.

    • image of the microprinting of a 5,000 yen note
  8. (8) Luminescent ink

    The Governor's seal on the front side glows orange under ultraviolet light. Likewise, some parts of the background pattern fluoresce yellowish-green.

    • image of the luminescent ink of a 5,000 yen note
  9. (9) Intaglio printing

    Raised printing is used for selected parts of the design, where ink is raised even higher than the ink on older series of notes. Bank of Japan notes feel rough to the touch.

    • image of the intaglio printing of a 5,000 yen note
  10. (10) Tactile marks (intaglio printing)

    To assist the visually impaired in detecting the note by touch, a recognition symbol with a rougher texture, printed intaglio, is adopted.

    • image of the tactile marks of a 5,000 yen note

1,000 yen note

Size: 76 x 150 mm
Date of first issue: Nov. 1, 2004

  • image of the front of a 1,000 yen note

    Front

  • image of the back of a 1,000 yen note

    Back

Details of the security features

  1. (1) Watermark
    • image of the watermark of a 1,000 yen note
  2. (2) Ultrafine-line printing
    • image of the ultrafine-line printing of a 1,000 yen note
  3. (3) Latent pearl image

    A security feature unique to the 1,000 yen note. When the banknote is tilted, you can see (1) the Japanese characters meaning "1,000 yen" printed with pearl ink, and (2) the number "1000" as a latent image.

    • image of the latent pearl image of a 1,000 yen note
  4. (4) Watermark-bar-pattern

    When the banknote is held up to the light, a vertical watermark bar (three bars for the 10,000 yen note, two for the 5,000 yen note) becomes visible. This feature is more difficult to reproduce with personal computers or color copiers than the traditional watermark.

    • image of the watermark-bar-pattern of a 1,000 yen note
  5. (5) Latent image

    When the banknote is viewed from a certain angle, the word "NIPPON" ("Japan" in Japanese) appears on the top right of the back side.

    • image of the latent image of a 1,000 yen note
  6. (6) Pearl ink

    When viewed from different angles, a semi-transparent pattern printed with pink pearl ink appears in the blank areas of the left and right margins of the front of the note.

    • image of the pearl ink of a 1,000 yen note
  7. (7) Microprinting

    The 1,000 yen note has the words "NIPPON GINKO" ("Bank of Japan" in Japanese) printed in micro letters. Micro letters of different sizes are also included in the background design.

    • image of the microprinting of a 1,000 yen note (left)
    • image of the microprinting of a 1,000 yen note (right)
  8. (8) Luminescent ink

    The Governor's seal on the front side glows orange under ultraviolet light. Likewise, some parts of the background pattern fluoresce yellowish-green.

    • image of the luminescent ink of a 1,000 yen note
  9. (9) Intaglio printing

    Raised printing is used for selected parts of the design, where ink is raised even higher than the ink on older series of notes. Bank of Japan notes feel rough to the touch.

    • image of the intaglio printing of a 1,000 yen note
  10. (10) Tactile marks (intaglio printing)

    To assist the visually impaired in detecting the note by touch, a recognition symbol with a rougher texture, printed intaglio, is adopted.

    • image of the tactile marks of a 1,000 yen note

Major Law Provisions

It is a punishable offense to make or knowingly use counterfeit Bank of Japan notes. The same applies to alteration of genuine Bank of Japan notes, including alteration of their face value.

Counterfeiting currency/altering genuine currency:
Penal servitude for life or not less than three years
(Article 148, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of Japan)
Use of counterfeited/altered currency:
Penal servitude for life or not less than three years
(Article 148, Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code of Japan)

Should you discover a suspicious Bank of Japan note, please report the matter to a nearby police station or the Bank of Japan immediately.