Case No. 2024(wa)626: Currency Counterfeiting and Uttering (Amended Charge: Counterfeiting Currency and Uttering Thereof)

In early 2025, Tokyo resident Kenji Watanabe masterminded a sophisticated counterfeiting ring. Using high-resolution printers, the group produced thousands of counterfeit Japanese Yen 10,000 notes, primarily the new Series F designs featuring Eiichi Shibusawa. Between March and June 2025, they successfully circulated the forged currency in small transactions across convenience stores and taxis in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. The scheme was uncovered after an Osaka merchant filed a report, prompting a joint investigation by prefectural police and the National Police Agency. The indictment was amended to the more severe charge of "Counterfeiting Currency" due to the high quality and volume of the forgeries during the trial preparations in late 2025.

As of the current date (2026-06-07), the trial is ongoing at the Tokyo District Court. The prosecution is seeking 12 years imprisonment for Watanabe and lesser terms for his accomplices. The defense has challenged the evidentiary chain of custody and the constitutional legality of the device decryption order, preventing a final verdict thus far.

The central legal dispute involved whether the quality of the counterfeit notes met the legal threshold of "currency" under Article 148 of the Penal Code, which requires sufficient resemblance to deceive an ordinary person, or if it constituted a lesser crime of fraud. The amended charge also raised procedural debates concerning the timing of the amendment and the admissibility of digital forensic evidence extracted from the defendants' encrypted devices.

The case heightened public anxiety regarding the security features of the new banknotes and accelerated the Bank of Japan's campaign promoting cashless payment systems. It also prompted the National Police Agency to establish a dedicated Digital Counterfeiting Task Force and led to parliamentary debate on strengthening penalties for possessing high-grade printing equipment without a legitimate license.