TOKYO - Japan's Finance Ministry is considering minting commemorative coins featuring anime and manga characters, as well as national treasures, to promote Japanese culture and create alternative sources of revenue, ministry officials said Monday.
The ministry may revise the currency law, which currently only permits the use of images pertaining to national interests such as imperial events and the Olympics when minting commemorative coins.
The move would follow those by other countries including Britain, which has minted collectible coins featuring Harry Potter motifs as well as those with John Lennon from the Beatles.
Some countries have previously produced coins with Japanese motifs. France minted a coin with Hello Kitty, while the Cook Islands generated those with images from anime "Detective Conan," also known as "Case Closed," and film series "Otoko wa Tsurai yo."
