I urge The Japan Times to publish further details of the recently passed Japanese law banning "survival knives." If the law does indeed ban, without further qualification, all two-sided knives with blades longer than 5 cm, it bans most German and French chef knives, Swiss Army knives, Chinese cleavers, Canadian fishing knives, American diving knives and Australian camping knives, while conveniently exempting traditional Japanese knives.
The new law does not seem to ban the 13-cm knife with a serrated edge that was reportedly used by the Akihabara murderer (June 8). The Japan Times should use its status as a member of Japanese press clubs to reveal more about the coverage and enforcement of this new law.
javier romero
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