Originally Posted by hclee01
Hi
Thanks for the info. I have changed it today and was told that it was legal tender. As I am not too familiar with it, I accepted it. I am flying to Tokyo tomorrow and do not have time to go back to the money changer again. Would I be able to change it for the new series note at any of the banks in Tokyo or at the money changing counter in Narita Airport? I have a few of such notes and pretty upset now that the money changer has not been ethnical. Yes, it is a legal moneychanger in Singapore.
Since you mention that this is a legitimate money changer, my gut feeling is that those notes probably qualify as "legal tender." However, I am pretty sure that you will have some problems using them at any store in Japan. Just consider that many of the staff members working at 7-11 or McDonalds were born after those notes were taken out of circulation....
The best thing to do is to take the notes to a bank counter as soon as you arrive at Narita airport. I have a feeling that the bank will accept the notes - but if they don't, then you might need to take them to the Bank of Japan. (Fairly close to Tokyo Station or Nihonbashi subway station or Mitsukoshimae subway station).
Was the moneychanger unethical? I don't think so. But I would say unhelpful in the extreme.