Saudi Film Commission Joins AFCI to Reinforce Saudi Arabia's Position in the Global Film Industry

Saudi Film Commission Joins AFCI to Reinforce Saudi Arabia's Position in the Global Film Industry
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Saudi Film Commission Joins AFCI to Reinforce Saudi Arabia's Position in the Global Film Industry

Saudi Film Commission Joins AFCI to Reinforce Saudi Arabia's Position in the Global Film Industry

The Film Commission announced in a press release that it has become a member of the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI), a global non-profit organization with over 360 film commissions from more than 40 countries across six continents.
According to the release, the commission's membership in AFCI contributes to boosting the national economy, developing the Saudi film industry and enhancing its local and global presence, SPA reported.
It also aligns with the ongoing efforts to place Saudi cinema on the map of global film markets, empower Saudi talents and production companies and promote the exchange of experience and knowledge with counterparts worldwide.
Established in 1975, AFCI enables film commissions and industry partners to bring successful productions to life through knowledge-sharing, skill development, and connection. It hosts world-class events and networking opportunities at major global film markets to facilitate co-productions worldwide.



Japan Issues New Yen Banknotes Packed With 3D Hologram Technology to Fight Counterfeiting

The 10,000 yen bill, worth about $62 at the current exchange rate, has the face of Eiichi Shibusawa, known as “the father of Japanese capitalism - The AP
The 10,000 yen bill, worth about $62 at the current exchange rate, has the face of Eiichi Shibusawa, known as “the father of Japanese capitalism - The AP
TT

Japan Issues New Yen Banknotes Packed With 3D Hologram Technology to Fight Counterfeiting

The 10,000 yen bill, worth about $62 at the current exchange rate, has the face of Eiichi Shibusawa, known as “the father of Japanese capitalism - The AP
The 10,000 yen bill, worth about $62 at the current exchange rate, has the face of Eiichi Shibusawa, known as “the father of Japanese capitalism - The AP

Japan issued its first new banknotes in two decades Wednesday, yen packed with 3D hologram technology to fight counterfeiting.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida praised as historic the state-of-the-art anti-counterfeit traits of the new 10,000 yen, 5,000 yen and 1,000 yen bills.

“I hope the people will like the new bills, and they will help energize the Japanese economy,” he told reporters at the Bank of Japan, The AP reported.

While the new bills were released with fanfare, currency already in use will remain valid. In fact, people will still need older bills to use most vending machines and to pay bus fares, local media reported.

Kishida noted the people featured on the bills celebrate Japanese capitalism, women’s equality and scientific innovation.

The 10,000 yen bill, worth about $62 at the current exchange rate, has the face of Eiichi Shibusawa, known as “the father of Japanese capitalism,” a key figure in building Japan’s modern economy. He is credited with founding hundreds of companies.

The 5,000 yen bill, worth about $30, features Umeko Tsuda, a pioneer feminist and educator who founded a college. The 1,000 yen note, worth about $6.20, portrays physician and bacteriologist Shibasaburo Kitasato, who was instrumental in the research of tetanus and the bubonic plague.

The backs of each of the bills feature Tokyo Station, wisteria flowers and ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai’s Mount Fuji, respectively.

The new bills also feature larger printing so they’re easier to read, especially for the nation’s aging population.

By the end of March next year, nearly 7.5 billion new banknotes will have been printed, according to the government. The amount of money in the new bills going out in a single day is estimated at 1.6 trillion yen ($10 billion).

It may take some time for ordinary people to get hold of the new bills. They first are going to banks and other financial organizations. Then, they'll be distributed to automatic teller machines and stores, according to the Bank of Japan.

A majority of transactions in Japan still are done in cash and cashless payments have been slower to catch on than in many other countries.

“Although the world is moving toward cashless interactions, we believe cash remains important as a way for safely settling payments anywhere and anytime,” said Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda.