Japan Mint

The Japan Mint (独立行政法人造幣局, Dokuritsu Gyōsei Hōjin Zōheikyoku^?) is an Incorporated Administrative Agency of the Japanese government, responsible for producing and circulating the coins of Japan. The agency has its head office in Osaka with branches in Tokyo and Hiroshima.

Amongst the first acts of the Meiji government was the establishment of the Imperial Japanese Mint as a constructive step towards modernising Japan's circulating currency. In the early Meiji era, paper currency was initially printed by Dondorf and Naumann in Germany. The European production was inspected and sealed by Banknote Annex Office of the Ministry of Finance. A proposal to construct a banknote manufacturing plant was submitted to Grand Council of State in May, 1874; and construction was approved in December of that same year. A two-story Western red brick building was completed in October 1876.

Over the course of decades, the Mint activities have expanded to include the production of Japanese orders (decorations), medals of honor and metallic art objects, the analysis and testing of metal ores and minerals, and the fineness certification of precious metal wares (hallmarking).

The Mint became an Incorporated Administrative Agency on April 1, 2003.

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