Harry Potter Sword Replicas Recalled In Japan For Violating Weapons Law

Replicas of Godric Gryffindor’s sword, featured in the Harry Potter film series, have been recalled in Japan for breaching the country’s strict weapons regulations.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the life-sized replicas, measuring 86cm (34 inches) and mounted on wooden display plaques, were sold by Warner Bros. Studio Japan LLC from May 2023 to late April 2024.

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However, authorities informed the company in November that the swords were sharp enough to be classified as functional weapons under Japanese law.

Over 350 replicas, each priced at 30,000 yen ($200; £158), had been sold, primarily at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo: The Making of Harry Potter.

Opened in 2023, the Tokyo tour is Asia’s first such attraction and the largest indoor Harry Potter experience globally.

Warner Bros. Studio Japan issued a recall notice on its website, citing a “distribution issue in Japan” and urging customers to contact them for “logistics and refund” assistance.

The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Under Japan’s weapons law, carrying knives over 6cm (2 inches) in blade length is prohibited, punishable by up to two years in prison.

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Any replica sharp enough to qualify as a sword must be registered unless it is explicitly designed for training or decoration and incapable of being sharpened.

Japan maintains low levels of violent crime, but incidents involving weapons occasionally occur. Last year, a 78-year-old man in Yokohama was arrested for attacking his neighbour with a ceremonial samurai sword during a dispute.

In 2017, a samurai sword was among weapons recovered at a Tokyo shrine following an attack that left three dead.

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