Japan launched its first new banknotes in 20 years on Wednesday, featuring innovative three-dimensional portraits to combat counterfeiting. Employing a novel technology that creates holograms visible from various angles, these notes depict pivotal figures such as Eiichi Shibusawa, Umeko Tsuda, and Shibasaburo Kitasato, who founded significant financial, educational, and medical institutions. Amid these changes, there is a nationwide rush to update payment systems, aligning with the government’s drive towards a digitised, less cash-reliant economy. Although the current fiscal year will see 7.5 billion of these new bills printed, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda affirmed cash’s vital role in the economy during a ceremony marking the issuance. Despite this push, many payment systems, particularly in fast-food venues, remain unready for the transition, posing challenges for small business owners facing inflation.