This currency is one of the most secure forms with five levels of security: Watermark, ultra-fine line printing, holograms, luminescent ink, and microprinting… →

The yen was put into place in 1871 with the passage of the New Currency Act. This marked the end of Japan's Edo period, which represented the last vestiges of traditionalism in Japanese culture and society.

The Yen replaced a currency system that used copper coins called the mon. It is one of the most secure forms of currency with five levels of security: Watermark, ultra-fine line printing, holograms, luminescent ink, and microprinting. Since the notes and coins are nearly impossible to replicate, the risk of fraud and money laundering is low. The word "yen'' translates to "round object" in English (which simply refers to the shape of the coins) while the Japanese refer to yen as "okane", the generic word for money.