Minister announces it is now illegal to sell samurai swords

It is now illegal to sell, make, hire or import samurai swords, Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker announced today.

From today anyone who commits such an offence faces up to six months in prison and a fine of up to £5,000. Higher penalties apply to the offence of importation – up to seven years in prison and an unlimited fine.

It is already illegal to carry a samurai sword in a public place. Anyone who does so faces a maximum jail sentence of four years and a fine.

Following consultation with police, collectors, traders, victims` groups and martial arts experts, the ban includes exemptions for collectors of genuine Japanese swords and swords used by bona fide
martial arts and historical re-enactment groups.

Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said: “The Government takes violent crime very seriously and we are determined to do all we can to protect individuals and communities.

“Having undertaken a wide consultation we recognise that it is the cheap and easily available samurai swords that have been used in crime. That is why we have made sensible exemptions for genuine enthusiasts.

“This ban is part of our wider strategy to tackle serious violent crime. Later this year we will launch a new advertising campaign aimed at preventing young people carrying knives.”

Alf Hitchcock, Association of Chief Police Officers lead on knife crime and Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, said:

“Throughout the consultation process the Association of Chief Police Officers has supported the Government`s position on the banning of samurai swords.

“As I have said on previous occasions, these are not the most common weapons for people to carry and use in violent crimes but nationally there have been some significant incidents, serious
assaults and murders using a samurai sword. So we feel the introduction of a ban is much needed.”

This new measure complements other Government action to tackle knife
crime which includes:

* increasing the maximum sentence for carrying a knife in public from
two to four years;

* investing £1.75 million pounds through the Connected Fund in local
voluntary sector prevention projects;

* launching best practice guidance on tackling knife crime for police
forces with the Association of Chief Police Officers;

* supporting intelligence led enforcement operations such as
Operation Blunt; and

* asking police forces to collect knife related offences for the
first time. This data will be published in the summer.