Newly designed banknotes for ¥10,000, ¥5,000 and ¥1,000 will go into circulation today – the first redesigns in 20 years. The banknotes are produced with the world’s most advanced printing technologies in order to prevent counterfeiting, which has been rising sharply in Japan in recent years. The ¥1,000 note features the image of Noguchi Hideyo, an internationally renowned bacteriologist (1876-1928). The ¥5,000 note has the image of Higuchi Ichiyo, a female novelist and poet (1872-96). She is the subject of a new TBS drama series starting tonight, with Uchiyama Rina (photo, 22) in the title role. The ¥10,000 banknote has been redeisgned but keeps the image of Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835-1901), an educator during the Meiji era known as the founder of Keio University.
• Kataoka Sennosuke made his stage performance at the weekend – at the tender age of 4. The son of onnagata (actor who plays female roles) Kataoka Kotaro (36) and grandson of tachiyaku (male role specialist) Kataoka Nizaemon (60) showed no signs of nerves during his first appearance at the famous Kabukiza theater in Tokyo’s Ginza.