Japan Data
Economy
Travel
Aug 1, 2025
The ¥2,000 banknote was launched 25 years ago in Japan, but only caught on in Okinawa.
Issued at the New Millennium
A quarter of a century has passed since Japan issued a ¥2,000 banknote on July 19, 2000, to commemorate the Okinawa Summit that was held that same month. It was the first time since World War II for a coin or bill to be circulated in Japan that had the number “2” in the denomination, despite the fact that this is common in other parts of the world.
The ¥2,000 banknotes never gained popularity, despite the promotional efforts of the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Japan, because most ATMs and vending machines did not issue or accept them. Circulation peaked at around 510 million notes in August 2004, and then declined rapidly thereafter. Since that fiscal year, no new notes have been printed, and the number in circulation has remained just below 100 million, which is only 0.6% of all banknotes in circulation. The notes have become so rare that many people have never encountered one or wonder if they can still be used to make purchases.
However, in Okinawa the situation is quite different. The note has special significance for residents of the prefecture because it features an illustration of the Shureimon gate of Shuri Castle, which is the symbol of Okinawa. ATMs for Okinawa Bank and the Bank of the Ryūkyūs have a “¥2,000 priority button” that allows users to choose to withdraw these notes to use for their daily purchases.
An ATM screen with a priority button above the money amount display. (Courtesy Bank of the Ryūkyūs)
The reverse side of the ¥2,000 bill features an excerpt from The Tale of Genji, along with a portrait of its author Murasaki Shikibu. This cultural aspect has boosted interest among overseas visitors to Japan.
Data Sources
(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: Shureimon Gate featured on the ¥2,000 banknote. © Jiji.)
Okinawa
banknotes
AloJapan.com