TOKYO - What appeared to be an ordinary 100-yen coin turned out to be a counterfeit after emerging from a change machine at a capsule toy specialty store, prompting a Japanese television personality to share his experience on social media.
The coin looked genuine at first glance, but instead of the familiar cherry blossom design on the reverse side, it bore letters written in the Roman alphabet.
Smiley Kikuchi said he initially could not believe what he was seeing. “At first, I just thought, ‘What is this?’” he recalled.
Kikuchi explained that the counterfeit coin was mixed in with change he received after exchanging a 1,000-yen bill at the capsule toy store, with only one fake coin among the real ones.
“The thickness and the feel were exactly the same. I honestly thought it was a real 100-yen coin,” Kikuchi said. “If counterfeit money starts circulating, it could cause huge losses for shops. That really worries me.”
Although the fake closely resembles the real thing, one clear difference is that it lacks the ridged edge found on genuine 100-yen coins. Online, others have also posted that they have seen similar counterfeit coins.
On a Chinese e-commerce site, reporters confirmed that more than 50 such coins were listed for sale. The reverse side of the coin features the name of a particular game console. When N-Sta contacted the manufacturer of that game console, the company strongly denied any involvement.
“We have absolutely no connection to the production of this coin,” the manufacturer said, adding that it is considering consulting the police, saying its business has been disrupted.
According to legal experts, producing counterfeit coins like these could constitute a violation of the Law for the Control of Counterfeit Currency and Securities.
However, the legal responsibility of someone who unknowingly uses such a coin is more complex. Kazuo Makino, a lawyer and lecturer at Ryukyu University Law School, said that a person who uses a fake coin without knowing it is counterfeit would not be guilty, but proving a lack of awareness could be difficult. “If you feel something is strange, it is best to report it to a police station,” Makino said.
Kikuchi reported the incident to the store, which has since filed a damage report with the police.
Source: TBS
