Meiji Tsuho
| Unit | |
|---|---|
| Symbol | 圓 / 円 (Yen) |
| Denominations | |
| Subunit | |
| 1⁄100 | 銭 (Sen) |
| Banknotes | 10銭, 20銭, 50銭, 1円, 2円, 5円, 10円, 50円, 100円 |
| Coins | None |
| Demographics | |
| Date of introduction | 1872 |
| Date of withdrawal | 1899 |
| User(s) | Japan |
| Issuance | |
| Central bank | Imperial Japanese government |
| This infobox shows the latest status before this currency was rendered obsolete. | |
Meiji Tsūhō (明治通宝) refers to the first western style paper currency that was issued by the Imperial Japanese government during the early Meiji era. After the "yen" was officially adopted in 1871, the Japanese looked to the Western world for their improved paper currency technology. An agreement was made with Italian engraver Edoardo Chiossone, who designed 6 denominations of Yen, and 3 denominations of Sen. The Japanese Government's decision to issue these notes as fiat currency played a large part in their demise as inflation rose following the Satsuma Rebellion. Meiji Tsūhō notes were phased out in favor of convertible notes issued by the Bank of Japan before they were demonetized towards the end of the 19th century.