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Buying & Verification ・ Intermediate
An intermediate quiz on the Firearms and Swords Control Law: the mandatory 登録証 for possession, correct steps when discovering an unregistered sword, inheritance ownership-change notification, how the 登録証 is handled in transactions, and how it differs from the 鑑定書.
Under Japan's Firearms and Swords Control Law (銃刀法), the 登録証 is the official certificate required for legally possessing a sword. The possessor must keep it together with the sword at all times. This applies to private individuals as well as dealers. Unlike the 鑑定書, it is not optional.
The 登録証 is issued by the prefectural board of education (都道府県教育委員会). The National Police Agency and Public Safety Commission are involved in firearms licensing — not sword registration. The Agency for Cultural Affairs handles cultural property designations, not 登録証 issuance.
Upon discovering an unregistered sword, the first step is to file a discovery report (銃砲刀剣類等発見届) at the nearest police station. You then receive a 'discovery-reported certificate' (発見届出済証) and must apply for registration with the prefectural board of education within 20 days. Skipping the police report and going directly to the board of education is not permitted. Keeping it without reporting is illegal.
When inheriting a sword that already has a 登録証, the new owner must submit a change-of-owner notification (所有者変更届) to the prefectural board of education that issued the 登録証 within 20 days. A report to the police station is not required. A new registration examination is also not required. Doing nothing is not an option — the change-of-owner notification is mandatory.
The 登録証 is tied to the sword itself and must always be transferred together with the sword in any sale or transfer. The previous owner cannot retain the 登録証 after handing over the sword, nor can the 登録証 be transferred separately. There is no procedure for depositing the 登録証 with the police before transferring the sword.
When submitting a sword to NBTHK for appraisal, the original 登録証 must be presented — which itself demonstrates that the two documents are distinct. The 鑑定書 is a voluntary quality evaluation; the 登録証 is the official document establishing legal possession. No NBTHK grade substitutes for the 登録証, and obtaining a 鑑定書 does not automatically update the 登録証.