Inheriting hunting guns, air guns and swords in Japan: the possession permit (public safety commission) and the registration certificate (board of education)

In short: a possession permit for a hunting gun or air gun belongs to the person alone (it is strictly personal) and cannot be inherited. The deceased's permit lapses on death, and an heir who wishes to keep possessing must obtain a new permit of their own. A sword of artistic value is held not under a possession permit but under a registration certificate from the board of education, and inheriting it requires a notification within 20 days.

Sources checked: 26 October 2026. This article, for an heir unsure how to handle a deceased person's hunting gun, air gun or Japanese sword, focuses narrowly on the succession procedure under the Act for Controlling the Possession of Firearms and Swords (the Firearms and Swords Control Act). For the overall flow of an inheritance, see the inheritance-procedure checklist; for the title procedure for movables such as cars, see inheriting a car and the transfer registration. Firearms and swords are movables, so no registration at the Legal Affairs Bureau is required. The provisions were reconciled with e-Gov.

If I inherit a hunting gun or air gun, can I simply take over the deceased's possession permit?

You cannot. Firearms and Swords Control Act Article 3 provides that no person may possess firearms or swords except as the Act allows, and one exception is the possession permit under Article 4(1). Article 4(1) provides that a person who intends to possess for a purpose such as hunting, extermination of harmful birds and beasts, or target shooting "must obtain the permission of the public safety commission of the prefecture that has jurisdiction over the person's residence, for each firearm or sword they intend to possess." This permit is granted to the person (it is strictly personal) and does not pass to the next person like inherited property.

The deceased's permit loses effect on death. Firearms and Swords Control Act Article 8 provides that the permit lapses where the permit holder dies. As for the permit certificate, Article 8(4) provides that a person obliged to report the death under the Family Register Act (a cohabiting relative, etc.) "must return the permit certificate within ten days counting from the day they learn of the fact of death." Accordingly, an heir who wishes to keep possessing the hunting gun or air gun must apply for a new possession permit of their own to the public safety commission of the prefecture that has jurisdiction over their residence (the police).

Item	Content
Nature of the permit	A permit for the person alone (strictly personal). Cannot be inherited
The permit on death	Lapses (Article 8)
Return of the certificate	By the person obliged to report the death, within 10 days of learning of the death (Article 8(4))
To keep possessing	The heir applies for a new possession permit to the public safety commission of their residence (Article 4(1))

To obtain a possession permit for the first time, a procedure set by each prefecture — a beginner's course, submission of various documents — is required. Check the specific course schedule and required documents with the police station with jurisdiction (the community safety division).

For an inherited sword (an art sword), what is the registration-certificate procedure?

A sword is handled by a different mechanism from a hunting gun, even under the same Act. A sword of artistic value is held not under a possession permit but as an item that has received a "registration." Firearms and Swords Control Act Article 14 provides that the board of education of the prefecture (or, in prefectures where an ordinance has the governor manage cultural-property affairs, that prefecture's governor) registers "a matchlock or other old-style firearm of value as an art object or antique, or a sword of value as an art object." In contrast to the possession permit, which attaches to the person, the registration certificate follows the object.

When you acquire a registered sword by inheritance, a notification is required. Firearms and Swords Control Act Article 17 provides that a person who has "received by transfer, or acquired by inheritance, a registered firearm or sword, or who has lent out or entrusted the custody of it," must notify "within twenty days" of that fact to "the board of education of the prefecture that carried out the registration." That is, you notify the fact of acquisition by inheritance to the board of education that carried out the registration, within 20 days (notification of change of owner). Holding a sword with no registration certificate may be an unpermitted, unregistered possession in breach of the Act, so check first whether a registration certificate exists.

Category	Basis	Procedure
A sword of value as an art object	Article 14	Registered by the prefectural board of education
Inheriting a registered sword	Article 17	Notify the board of education that carried out the registration within 20 days
A sword with no registration certificate turns up	—	A discovery report, then a registration examination, may be required (confirm with the office with jurisdiction)

The specific flow of the discovery report and registration examination for a sword whose registration certificate cannot be found differs by prefecture and is unverified in this article. Check with the board of education with jurisdiction.

If ammunition or other explosives remain, how should they be handled?

If ammunition (gun cartridges) and the like remain, these are "explosives" under the Explosives Control Act. Explosives Control Act Article 2 divides explosives into gunpowder, explosive compounds and explosive articles, and live and blank cartridges are included in explosive articles (Article 2(1), item 3(b)). As a rule the transfer and the acquisition of explosives, and their disposal, require permission: Explosives Control Act Article 17(1) provides that "a person who intends to transfer or acquire explosives must obtain the permission of the prefectural governor as prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry," and Article 27(1) provides that "a person who intends to dispose of explosives ... must obtain the permission of the prefectural governor as prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry" (each subject to certain exceptions).

In practice, the basic step is not to move them on your own judgement, but to contact the police (the community safety division that handles firearms) first. The permitted quantity for acquiring hunting-gun explosives, the range handleable without permission, and the specific recipient for and procedure to dispose of inherited ammunition are set in detail by law, ministerial order and local practice, and the individual quantities and offices are unverified in this article. After confirming the kind and quantity of explosives that remain, check with the police station with jurisdiction and the local government (which has charge of explosives).

If you will not keep possessing, how do you proceed with transfer or disposal?

If you will not keep possessing, a measure within a set period after the lapse is required. Firearms and Swords Control Act Article 8(6) provides that where the permit lapses (in certain cases, including lapse by death), the person who had held the permit, or the heir, must, "within fifty days" of the day of lapse, either obtain a permit anew, or take a measure such as "selling, giving, returning, or discarding the firearm or sword to a person who may lawfully possess it." For that period only, Article 3(1) (the prohibition on possession) does not apply. After the period passes, or when necessary to prevent danger, the prefectural public safety commission may, under the Article, order submission and take the firearm into provisional custody.

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Because a sword is held under a registration certificate rather than a possession permit, when you will not keep possessing it, you either transfer it, with its registration certificate, to a person who may lawfully possess it, or submit it voluntarily to the police and discuss disposal. In either case, it is safest to contact the police first and act on their instructions.

Choice if not keeping	Hunting gun / air gun	Art sword
Transfer to another	On the premise the transferee holds a possession permit (measure within 50 days of lapse)	Transfer with the registration certificate; the transferee notifies within 20 days
Disposal / voluntary submission	Contact the police and follow instructions (within 50 days of lapse)	Contact the police and follow instructions
Ammunition and other explosives	Transfer / disposal in principle requires the prefectural governor's permission (Explosives Control Act Articles 17 and 27)	—

Each involves judgements on which views may differ, and the management of deadlines. Before proceeding, confirm with the latest guidance of the police station, board of education and local government with jurisdiction.

Who do you ask for what (public safety commission, board of education, the whole inheritance, disputes)?

The procedures under the Act are divided by office according to the object. The possession permit for a hunting gun or air gun is with the prefectural public safety commission (the police); the registration and the change-of-owner notification for an art sword are with the prefectural board of education. Arranging and preparing the documents, and supporting the procedure, is within an administrative scrivener's scope, but the permit or registration itself is issued by the office of each jurisdiction. Negotiation or mediation where an estate division is disputed is handled by an attorney, and the valuation for inheritance tax by a tax accountant. Firearms and swords are movables, so no registration is required.

Who to engage	Scope
四葉行政書士事務所	Investigating the estate; arranging and preparing the necessary documents; collecting family registers
Prefectural public safety commission (police)	Possession permit for a hunting gun / air gun; measures after lapse (Articles 4 and 8)
Prefectural board of education	Registration of an art sword; notification of acquisition by inheritance (Articles 14 and 17)
Attorney	Negotiation or mediation where an estate division is disputed; inheritance disputes
Tax accountant	Valuation and filing for inheritance tax

四葉行政書士事務所, 四葉社会保険労務士事務所 and 四葉不動産株式会社 are each a separate, independent business. You contract with each field's provider separately as an independent business, and each provider bills and receives payment directly. Our office receives no referral fee.

See inheritance-procedure support, the engagement process and the fee schedule. The sale of inherited real estate is handled by the separate business at inherited real-estate consultation, which you also contract with separately.

FAQ

Q. Can I use the deceased's hunting-gun possession permit as it is?
A. You cannot. The possession permit belongs to the person alone (it is strictly personal) and lapses on death (Article 8). An heir who wishes to keep possessing must apply for a new possession permit of their own to the public safety commission of the prefecture that has jurisdiction over their residence (the police; Article 4(1)). The certificate is returned by the person obliged to report the death, within 10 days of learning of the death.

Q. Where do I notify an inherited Japanese sword?
A. A sword of artistic value is held not under a possession permit but as an item registered by the board of education (Article 14). A person who acquires a registered sword by inheritance must notify the prefectural board of education that carried out the registration within 20 days (Article 17). If the registration certificate cannot be found, check with the board of education and the police with jurisdiction.

Q. What should I do if cartridges (ammunition) remain?
A. Ammunition is an explosive (an explosive article) under the Explosives Control Act. Its transfer, acquisition and disposal in principle require the permission of the prefectural governor (Articles 17 and 27). First, do not move it on your own judgement — contact the police station with jurisdiction and follow their instructions. The specific quantities and offices vary by local practice and are unverified in this article.

Q. If I will not keep possessing, by when must I dispose of it?
A. For a hunting gun or air gun, within 50 days of the day the permit lapses, you must take a measure such as transfer, gift, return or disposal to a person who may lawfully possess it (Article 8(6)). For that period only, the prohibition on possession does not apply. For a sword, transfer it with the registration certificate or consult the police. In either case, it is safest to contact the police first.

Sources (Primary Information)

• e-Gov: Act for Controlling the Possession of Firearms and Swords (1958 Act No. 6): Article 3 (prohibition on possession), Article 4(1) (purpose of the possession permit and the authority — the public safety commission of the prefecture of residence), Article 8 (lapse of the permit, return of the certificate, provisional custody; paragraph 4 — the 10-day return deadline on death; paragraph 6 — the measure within 50 days after lapse), Article 14 (registration; the authority — the prefectural board of education), Article 17 (notification of acquisition by inheritance of a registered firearm or sword — within 20 days, to the prefectural board of education that carried out the registration). Final amendment date unverified.
• e-Gov: Explosives Control Act (1950 Act No. 149): Article 2 (definition of explosives; live and blank cartridges are explosive articles, Article 2(1) item 3(b)), Article 17(1) (permission for transfer and acquisition — the prefectural governor; certain exceptions), Article 27(1) (permission for disposal — the prefectural governor). Final amendment date unverified.
• Guidance of each prefectural public safety commission / police (possession permit for a hunting gun or air gun, measures after lapse, handling of ammunition) and each prefectural board of education (registration and change-of-owner notification for an art sword) (referenced 2026-10-26). The beginner's course and the form of required documents, the permitted quantity for acquiring explosives, and the flow of the discovery report for a sword with no registration certificate differ by local government, and individual figures and forms are unverified in this article.

Checked 26 October 2026. The provisions were reconciled with e-Gov. The beginner's course and the form of required documents, the specific permitted quantity for acquiring and the procedure to dispose of ammunition, the flow of the discovery report and registration examination for a sword with no registration certificate, and the final amendment dates of each law are unverified. Reconfirm with the latest guidance of the police station, board of education and local government with jurisdiction before proceeding.

This is general information and does not guarantee whether a permit or registration will be granted, whether a measure within the period is possible, or a procedural outcome. Individual judgements are made by a qualified professional after reviewing the materials. Written by Joji Uramatsu, administrative scrivener and licensed real-estate transaction specialist.