Jan 20 (NHK) - Japan will start issuing passports featuring art by ukiyoe master Katsushika Hokusai for people applying as early as February.
The new passport has 24 landscapes from the "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji" series from the 19th century. The prints serve as background for the visa pages used for entry and exit stamps. The design of the front page remains the same.
The Foreign Ministry decided to redesign the passport four years ago. It wanted to incorporate the latest anti-forgery techniques as the country prepares to host the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The ministry says the complicated design will not only strengthen counterfeit-prevention measures but also help to introduce Japanese culture.
