The government has decided to issue a silver coin with a face value of 1000 yen to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the opening of the railway this year.
The first railway in Japan opened between Shimbashi and Yokohama on October 14, 1872, and will celebrate its 150th anniversary this year.
In commemoration of this, the government decided to issue a silver coin with a face value of 1,000 yen, and decided on a government ordinance to determine the design etc. at the cabinet meeting on the 2nd.
The surface of the silver coin is decorated with a colored nishiki-e "Takanawa Railway Map" drawn in 1871, the year before the railway opened, as a rendering of the completed railway.
In addition, the restored station building of the "Old Shimbashi Station" is designed on the back side.
There is a plan to issue 70,000 silver coins, which will be sold by mail order by the Japan Mint.
The price is 12,300 yen, and applications will be accepted for about three weeks from October 5th.
Commemorative coins related to railways include commemorative coins issued from 2014 to 2016 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Shinkansen.
At a press conference after the cabinet meeting on the 2nd, Finance Minister Suzuki said, ``The opening of the railway was one of the important modernization efforts in the Meiji era, and this year, which marks the 150th anniversary, is appropriate for the issuance of commemorative coins.'' said.