The challenge began when Tomo’s father, not realizing a 10,000 yen bill was stashed inside an old envelope, accidentally shredded it at work. Seeing an opportunity rather than a setback, he challenged Tomo to restore the shredded bill.
He handed Tomo the contents of the shredder’s wastebasket and set a task: if Tomo could reassemble the bill and have it accepted by a bank, he could keep it.
Starting mid-February, Tomo undertook the arduous task of sorting through the mixed shreds. He utilized a transparent sheet placed over a similar 10,000 yen bill as a guide, carefully matching each fragment to its original position.
Despite the challenging nature of the task and the risk of missing pieces, Tomo worked tirelessly. By March 21, he had nearly reconstructed the bill and shared a photo online, hopeful that the Bank of Japan would approve it.
According to Bank of Japan policy, a damaged bill is eligible for full value exchange if more than two-thirds is intact and the serial number is legible. At the end of March, Tomo presented his reassembled bill to the bank, which, after a thorough inspection, exchanged it for a new note.
Tomo’s successful effort resonated widely on Japanese social media platform X, earning praise for his perseverance, patience, and problem-solving skills.
