page_title: Japanese sword
section_title: Recent history and modern use
hierarchical_section_title: Japanese sword / Post samurai military swords / Recent history and modern use
caption_attribution_description: English: The "Contest To Cut Down 100 People" by Tsuyoshi Noda and Toshiaki Mukai. The article was written by Kazuo Asaumi and Jiro Suzuki at the foot of the Purple Mountain, the photograph was taken by Shinju Sato in Changzhou in 12 December 1937. العربية: ضابطين من الجيش الياباني، توشياكي موكاي وتسويوشي نودا، في منافسة على من يقتل أول مئة شخص بسيف واحد في مذبجة نانجنغ بتاريخ 13/12/1937. 日本語: 「百人斬り'超記録'」 紫金山麓にて淺海・鈴木兩特派員發、百人斬り競爭の兩將校 (右)野田巖少尉 (左)向井敏明少尉 -常州にて佐藤(振)特派員撮影-
context_page_description: A Japanese sword is one of several types of traditionally made swords from Japan. Swords have been made from as early as the Kofun period, though most people generally refer to the curved blades made after the Heian period when speaking of "Japanese swords". There are many types of Japanese swords that differ by size, shape, field of application and method of manufacture. Some of the more commonly known types of Japanese swords are the katana, tsurugi, wakizashi, odachi, and tachi.
context_section_description: Under the United States occupation at the end of World War II all armed forces in occupied Japan were disbanded and production of nihontō with edges was banned except under police or government permit. The ban was overturned through a personal appeal by Dr. Junji Honma. During a meeting with General Douglas MacArthur, Honma produced blades from the various periods of Japanese history and MacArthur was able to identify very quickly what blades held artistic merit and which could be considered purely weapons. As a result of this meeting, the ban was amended so that guntō weapons would be destroyed while swords of artistic merit could be owned and preserved. Even so, many nihontō were sold to American soldiers at a bargain price; in 1958 there were more Japanese swords in America than in Japan. The vast majority of these one million or more swords were guntō, but there were still a sizable number of older swords.
  After the Edo period, swordsmiths turned increasingly to the production of civilian goods. The Occupation and its regulations almost put an end to the production of nihonto. A few smiths continued their trade, and Honma went on to be a founder of the Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Sword (日本美術刀剣保存協会, Nippon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai), who made it their mission to preserve the old techniques and blades. Thanks to the efforts of other like-minded individuals, the nihontō did not disappear, many swordsmiths continued the work begun by Masahide, and the old swordmaking techniques were rediscovered.
  Modern swords manufactured according to traditional methods are usually known as shinsakutō (新作刀), meaning "newly made swords". Alternatively, they can be termed shinken (真剣) when they are designed for combat as opposed to iaitō training swords.
  Due to their popularity in modern media, display-only "nihontō" have become widespread in the sword marketplace.  Ranging from small letter openers to scale replica "wallhangers", these items are commonly made from stainless steel (which makes them either brittle (if made from cutlery-grade 400-series stainless steel) or poor at holding an edge (if made from 300-series stainless steel)) and have either a blunt or very crude edge. There are accounts of good quality stainless steel nihontō, however, these are rare at best. Some replica nihontō have been used in modern-day armed robberies. As a part of marketing, modern ahistoric blade styles and material properties are often stated as traditional and genuine, promulgating disinformation.
  In Japan, genuine edged hand-made Japanese swords, whether antique or modern, are classified as art objects (and not weapons) and must have accompanying certification in order to be legally owned. Some companies and independent smiths outside Japan produce katana as well, with varying levels of quality.
  Prior to WWII Japan had 1.5million swords in the country - 200,000 of which had been manufactured in factories during the Meiji Restoration. As of 2008, only 100,000 swords remain in Japan. It is estimated that 250,000-350,000 sword have been brought to other nations as souvenirs, art pieces or for Museum purposes. 70% of daito (long swords), formerly owned by Japanese officers, have been exported or brought to the United States.
caption: Two Japanese officers in occupied China competing to see who could kill (with a sword) one hundred people first.
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