Notes
bill 紙幣
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The government says that there will be new faces on the 10,000 yen bill, the 5,000 yen bill, and the 1,000 yen bill in 2024. When I first came to Japan, I remember seeing Shotokutaishi and Ito Hirofumi. Then came Fukuzawa Yukichi, Nitobe Inazo, and Natsume Soseki. There are two more new faces now. American money is different. George Washington has been on the $1 bill since I was born. So have Lincoln ($5), Hamilton ($10), and Jackson ($20). There is one similarity between Japanese money and American money, however. Americans seldom use the $2 bill, and I hardly ever see a 2,000 yen bill. (by Porf. Douglas Jarrell)
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Notes
abdicate 退位する;
crown prince皇太子
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Japan will have a new era soon. When the Emperor of Japan abdicates on April 30, the Heisei era will come to an end. On May 1, his son, the Crown Prince, will become the next Emperor. That will be the beginning of the “Reiwa” era. The government announced the name yesterday morning. It comes from the Manyoshu, the oldest collection of Japanese poems. This is a change from the past. Other era names have come from Chinese. “Reika” means “good fortune” and “peace.” May the new era bring everyone good fortune and peace! (by Douglas Jarrell)
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