Samurai Sword Ban In Force

A ban on the possession of Samurai swords has come into effect from today.

The order, brought in by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern as part of measures to tackle knife crime, makes the sale, importation, purchase or possession of the Japanese weapons illegal.

Defying the ban could mean up to seven years in prison, however, it does not apply to ornate hand-carved swords made before 1954.

The swords, correctly known as 'katana', have been made popular in Hollywood films, such as Quentin Tarrantino's Kill Bill and feature in many martial art movies from Japan, as well as China.

The swords were historically been associated with the samurai of feudal Japan, and had become renowned for their sharpness and mythical cutting ability.

A number of the weapons have been used in assaults in Ireland, triggering gardaí to request the swords be included in the wider ban of possession of dangerous weapons, which has gone into statute today.

The Justice Minister has also recently increased the penalty for possessing a knife in a public place from one to five years.

Last month Mr Ahern described a recent spate of knife attacks as 'very worrying', but he said the Government was working to try to raise awareness in an effort to reduce knife crime.

(DW/GK)