A company employee in the city of Miyazaki has been arrested for allegedly purchasing guns and swords through Internet auctions, including three Type-38 rifles used by the Imperial Japanese Army.
The Hyogo Prefectural Police said Wednesday that Kazuhiro Tsukada, 56, possessed six rifles, one shotgun, six parts of bayonets, one saber and two daggers in February and March in violation of the Firearm and Sword Control Law.
Tsukada, who was arrested June 22, allegedly also had six replica handguns made out of metal. With the metal color retained and the barrels not blocked, possession of such mock weapons also violates the law, a police officer said.
He started buying weapons on the Internet six years ago, paying as much as ¥350,000 for one rifle, the officer said.
All of the real guns were in working order, but Tsukada did not own any ammunition. The police quoted him as saying, "I'm interested in military goods."
