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See other news storiesSamurai swords to be banned
12 December 2007
The government will ban the import, sale and hire of samurai swords from April 2008.
The decision followed a 12-week consultation conducted earlier this year, which received hundreds of responses.
A serious weapon
Based on input from police, collectors, traders, victims' groups and martial arts enthusiasts, the decision was made to add the swords to the offensive weapons order.
There are currently 17 weapons on that list, including knuckle-dusters and batons.
Once the law is in place, those who violate it could face six months in prison, and a maximum fine of £5,000.
However, the law will include exemptions for rare, genuine Japanese swords valued by collectors, and also for the kinds of swords often used in martial arts.
Move follows high-profile crimes
Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said it's important to remember that the swords are dangerous, and they have been used in many crimes.
An estimated 80 attacks involving cheap, imitation samurai swords have been recorded in recent years, and at least five people have died in those incidents.
'In the wrong hands, samurai swords are dangerous weapons - there have been a number of high-profile, serious incidents involving the swords in England and Wales,' he said.
However, he pointed out that swords used in crimes are usually cheap, easily available imitation swords, not the genuine, high-priced weapons valued by collectors and galleries.
Stopping knife crime
The move to ban the swords is just the latest in a series of actions by the government in recent years to stop knife crime.
Previous moves include:
- doubling the maximum sentence for knife possession from two to four years
- creating a new offence of asking somebody to store or hide a weapon for you
- giving teachers new powers to search students for weapons
- raising the minimum age for knife ownership to 18
- working closely with police on fighting knife-related violence
