Realistic Harry Potter sword replicas recalled in Japan

Harry Potter sword replicas sold at a theme park in Japan have been recalled for being too authentic, potentially violating the anti-weapons law, Warner Bros. Studios Japan and media have said.

The recall concerns an "authentic recreation" of the Godric Gryffindor Sword, named after one of the four founders of the Hogwarts wizardry school. According to a company statement, the pointed silver sword is 34 inches (85 centimeters) long and comes affixed to a wood display plaque.

The company said there had been a "distribution issue" with the 30,000-yen ($200) replicas. However, Japanese media reported that investigators considered the toy sharp-edged enough to constitute a possible violation of the country's sword and firearms control laws.

The replicas were being sold at the "The Making of Harry Potter", an immersive Tokyo studio park steeped in the world of the epic magic saga. "We apologize for the inconvenience," Warner Bros. Studios Japan said. Violent crime is rare in Japan, which has strict gun control laws.

But there are occasional stabbings and even shootings, including the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe in 2022. Harry Potter fans who had to relinquish the sword took to social media to air their heartache.

The farewell was "frustrating" and "very sad," one fan wrote on social media platform X, adding: "My fellow true Gryffindor students out there who agreed to the voluntary recall, I feel you."

"I just handed over to the police the Gryffindor sword, which I once vowed to myself I would cherish for the rest of my life," another wrote on X. "I believe they will take good care of it until it is disposed of."