From its birth in 1871 to the issuance of the new Japanese currency in 1984, the portraits of politicians were printed on the banknotes. For example, the banknotes issued in 1881 were printed with the portrait of Queen Shengong; later, the ten thousand yuan and five thousand yen banknotes were printed with the portrait of Prince Suntoku; and the thousand yuan banknotes were printed with the portrait of Hirowen ITO, to symbolize the imperial power and government authority.
Banknotes in circulation since 1984 have been printed with writers, scientists and other reformers of the Meiji Restoration era, expressing Japan’s nostalgia for the Meiji Restoration, which was the beginning of Japan’s departure from the Middle Ages and its approach to modern times.
