What is the primary currency of Japan?

The Japanese yen is the primary currency of Japan.

The yen was established by the New Currency Act of 1871 during the Meiji period. The word “yen” comes from a Japanese term meaning “round,” referring to the shape of coins. Its international currency code is JPY, and its symbol is commonly written as ¥.

The Bank of Japan issues yen banknotes, while the Japan Mint produces coins. Banknotes include denominations such as 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, and 10,000 yen. Coins range from 1 yen to 500 yen. Modern Japanese currency is denominated entirely in yen, without a regularly used subdivision in everyday transactions.

The Chinese yuan is a different currency, although the names are historically related through the shared idea of a round monetary unit. South Korea uses the won, and India uses the rupee. Japan’s monetary authority is the Bank of Japan, headquartered in Tokyo.