Quite a few people may wonder where the 2,000 yen bank notes have gone since they came out in 2000.

"I've hardly ever seen a 2,000 yen note over the past six years," said Kyoko Kanda, 24, an office worker in Tokyo.

"I keep one as a keepsake, but that's all I need," she said. "I don't want to keep them in my wallet because they are not convenient, as there are so few vending machines or ATMs that will take them."