The Metal Collection Order and Swords — Wartime Metal Requisition and the Exemption of Art Swords

Overview

The Metal Collection Order was promulgated on August 30, 1941 (Shōwa 16) and put into effect on September 1. It provided for the surrender of metals needed as munitions material. The order reached not only scrap but also metal goods in current use. As for swords, those of artistic value are said to have been basically exempt.

What Was Covered

Items named as covered include iron fences and handrails, temple bells and Buddhist implements, manhole covers, and pots, kettles and braziers. The requisition reached homes, temples and public spaces, and familiar metal goods of everyday life were gathered as munitions material.

The Treatment of Swords

Swords of artistic value, such as those designated as former National Treasures or Important Art Objects, are said to have been basically exempt. However, the criteria are said to have been vague. After the war, there are also said to have been cases in which the occupation forces ordered swords to be handed in.

A Document Showing the Idea of Exemption

Records on metal requisition handed down at Jōkōmyō-ji in Kamakura set out the idea of what was to be excluded from the requisition, and National Treasures, Important Art Objects and the like are named among the exclusions.