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Japanese customs have banned the import of US-made
ballpoint pens after determining they constituted “weapons” and “could be used
in self-defense.” Customs authorities in Osaka and Nagoya ordered that the
US-made pens be denied import permits after classifying them as “weaponry.” Due
to their pointy shape and metallic construction, customs say they are actually
intended as self-defense pens and most likely illegal under Japanese law.
The importers and their US makers have criticized the
decision as “unfair,” and after having been unable to reach any agreement with
customs have seen 237 of their pens held at airports for over a year. The pens
in question are made by such renowned American cutlers as Smith & Wesson
and Benchmade Knife; their rugged metal construction and militaristic design
were apparently just too much for officials to countenance as being anything
but evidence of them being designed for killing.
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