Henry,
so far the home offcie have missed every terget date they have published so dont hold your breath. The most likely place to see anything is on the home office website. I expect that those who have participated in the consultation will eventually get some direct update, but I would bank on it.
If you see or hear any progress please let us know, likewise if I get any information I will place it here.
regards
PaulB

Paul

Many thanks for your mail.Government departments are always failing to honour their commitments, especially the Home Office. What with asylum seekers,immigration issues,bungled security matters with numerous other cock-ups,the list goes on ad infinitum; we awaiting another MP's deliberation s stand little chance of hearing very much. Still never mind,even an MP like Mr Coaker may get a pang of concience to deliver what he promised. I am reliably informed God moves in a mysterious way!!
Henry

All,
I have just received an email from Steve Smith of The Northern ToKen, UK to say that Jonathan Batt of the Home Office has been in touch with him and that the results of the consultation on the sword ban will be published on the 12th of December. Hard copies will be sent to those being more directly involved with the process.

Ian

Ian B.

Thankyou for posting your email; I look forward with interest to Mr.Coaker's comments.

Henry Stewart

I wonder if any of the petitions that us non-residents signed had any effect? JOhn

All,
At last the Home office have put out a press release with regard to the ban. Paraphrasing, and please remember it only for the press, the results of their consultation are as follows:

Replica 'samurai swords' will be added to the prohibited weapons list. When the act comes into force, buying, selling or hiring these objects will incur a penalty of up to 6 months in prison and a maximum fine of £5000. Carrying a samurai sword in public is already an offence that could result in up to 4 years in prison.

Genuine antique swords are exempt from the ban as are those made in Japan up to 1953, or subsequently by a Japanese registered swordsmith. Also exempt are those replicas used in martial arts or for similar purposes.

Thus I think that all of the lobbying done by everyone has had the desired effect. I did notice in a newspaper that there was to be a requirement that they should be kept under lock and key, but I see no problem there. What does slightly concern me is the carrying situation. There does need to be a qualification, that I am sure will be added, to the effect that real swords can be transported provided they are suitably wrapped and not available for immediate use.

Can I personally thank all who have contributed in this saga for their efforts to ensure we can continue with our wonderful hobby.


Ian

Excellent news!

The full report is here:

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/cons-2007-ban-offensive-weapons/cons-resp-banning-off-weapons?view=Binary

Gentlemen

Genuine collectors of nihonto would appear to be safe. However remember these are politicians we are dealing with supported by the association of chief police officers who rely for their very existence on the MPs at the home office and who can properly be considered as an arm of government.
However we shall see; so far so good.

Henry Stewart

As someone who has seen legislation basically shut down his business, I don't think it is good. Shocking and embarassing in fact. But I do think it is the best you could have hoped for under the circumstances, and I think those who were lobbying against it did a great job. Now you will have to see how the regulations are written, which is usually where they sneak in all the nasty stuff.
Those of us in the USA, RSA and many other countries will know what i mean when I act disgusted at them making you lock up simple sharp pointy objects and prove to them why you have a need for it. The English govt should hang its head in shame.
Btw..please note carefully that you have a "spy" among you. Note that their is a "collectors or re-enactors" association that voted against every single positive aspect of this. They can't possibly represent collectors or re-enactors!? Find out who they are.

Oh well..we wait and see.

Brian

Brian,
I agree it is sad when a government feels it has to legislate in this way. In reality it is knives that are the real problem but there is no way anyone can come up with a suitable definition that does not include kitchen knives and the like. A former collegue wrote a superb article on firearm legislation in the UK that showed there was a statistical correlation between the amount of legislation and the increase in gun crime. No doubt we will see a similar rise in sword related crime (for 'sword' read machete, bayonet or anything else - to the UK press they are all 'samurai swords'). There now arises the slight problem of who is going to apply this legislation and how. The average policeman wouldn't know a real 'samurai sword' from a bucket handle. We will see.

I am intrigued by your comment about the 'spy'. I suspect I do know who you mean but there is little anyone can do.
Ian

The Gov stuff doesn't tell us if we, individually, can still import blades from our favourite supplier, like James Raw in SA for example.
Who's going to know the difference and who will police it? Not all of us want or can afford real Japanese smith made blades, especially when we only want to use them for tameshigiri.

Ok, it looks like instructors and collectors and students of Nihonto will end up paying another 'tax', to register as an authorised user.

There's a spy or 'mole' everywhere.

Gentlemen

With respect I think you will find the devil will be in the detail. There will always be a correlation between the amount of legislation and an increase in activity against that legislation,it has ever been so. During the arguments on the gun ban the authorities were told if you ban guns only bandits will have guns,and so it has proved ;gun crime up over 400%.
I agree,your average Policeman wouldnt know a genuine nihonto from a bulls foot and more importantly neither would he care.
We have become the target of a political populace red herring exercise and can perhaps hope for a grain of sanity to survive the hot house of the parliamentary chamber. To those who campaigned I say well done!It would be naive of us to think as this is the culmination of the exercise,it is in fact only the beginning!
HenryStewart

I am a resident in Japan but would hope to return to the UK one day as I am approaching retirement. Would I be able to get my bits back to the UK, I wonder? And how? The problem is that I don't think there is anyone in authority who actually knows the answer.

Gentlemen,
Remember that all that has happened so far is that a consultation result has been published. There is still a way to go before a law is actually drafted and passed. I have already been in touch with the Home Office voicing several caveats that will need to be addressed before the final legislation is drawn up. They have taken these on board and expressed the possibility of a meeting in the New Year to try and ensure that the final draft does not impinge too much on our right to collect swords. Let us see what happens.

Ian