Replicas of a sword featured in the Harry Potter film franchise have been recalled in Japan for violating the country's strict arms law.
The life-size replicas of Godric Gryffindor's sword – which measure 86 cm (34 inches) and are affixed to a wooden display plaque – were sold by Warner Bros. Studio Japan LLC from May 2023 to the end of April this year.
But it wasn't until November that authorities told the company the pieces were sharp enough for people to classify as real swords.
More than 350 replicas of Godric Gryffindor's sword have been sold, reports add, with each worth 30,000 yen ($200; £158).
The sword was sold during the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo: The Making of Harry Potter, which opened in 2023 in Tokyo. It is the first studio tour of its kind in Asia and the largest indoor Harry Potter attraction in the world.
Warner Bros. Studios Japan LLC posted a recall notice for the sword on its site, citing “a distribution issue in Japan” and asking people who purchased it to contact people for “necessary measures, including logistics and shipping.” refund “.
The company did not immediately respond to the BBC's request for comment.
Under Japan's strict weapons law, it is illegal to carry knives longer than 6 cm (2 inches), with violators facing up to two years in prison. Replicas sharp enough to be classified as swords under the Firearms and Swords Control Act must be registered with the authorities – unless the swords are intended for training or decoration and cannot be sharpened.
Japan has very low levels of violence, although crimes involving weapons sometimes occur.
Last year, a 78-year-old man was arrested in Yokohama after attacking his neighbor with a ceremonial samurai sword during an argument. In 2017, a samurai sword was found with other knives in a Tokyo shrine after an attack that left three people dead.
