Yen Notes to Become More Distinguishable for Blind as Japan Ages
This article is for subscribers only.
Japan will start issuing new 5,000 yen ($49) notes to make it easier for a growing number of visually impaired people in the aging society to distinguish between denominations of bills.
Holograms on the bottom left corner of the bills’ front will have a new texture, and will be larger and squarer than the current design to set them apart from 10,000 yen notes, according to the Ministry of Finance. The notes, to be issued from May 12, will remain the same size and retain a portrait of Ichiyo Higuchi, a late 19th century female writer.