Japanese customs have banned the import of US-made ballpoint pens after determining they constituted “weapons” and “could be used in self-defence.”
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-defence pens, and most likely illegal under Japanese law.
The importers and their US makers have criticised 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:
Fortunately, the vast quantities of ballpoint pens Japan imports from China and elsewhere seem unlikely to be provocatively manly enough to those officials, else normal people and not just creepy pen collecting military otaku might be affected.
Online there is despair both at this TSA-level genius and the kind of mentality which sees a gun-maker making a literal killing off its pens:
“So self-defence gear is no good – in other words they are saying we should die quietly if attacked?”
“I’m amazed the yanks were dumb enough to think they could slip stuff like this through customs!”
“Well, if we can’t import them I guess it’s a chance for our domestic makers!”
“You can buy a fruit knife in any ¥100 shop… I suppose that is out as well?”
“If they have time to ban pens like this, they should do something about that rocket launcher they found in Fukuoka recently…”
“Come on, it was made by a small arms manufacturer. I don’t see any problem with banning its import.”
“How are these weapons?”
“I thought it would have a knife or a gun attached… these are just normal pens?”
“I think you could stab someone with a normal ballpoint just as well. Perhaps its the blood grooves these pens have on them?”
| 
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UN-fucking-believable
There goes my favorite anime pen!!
Your favorite anime pen is made out of aircraft aluminium and designed for exerting force on joints and pressure points in grappling situations? (And stabbing the fuckery out of people.)
Maybe it's a Black Lagoon pen.
( ￣ ▽ ￣ )ノ Ｄｏｈｏｈｏｈｏｈｏ～
Well, isn't there a saying similiar to "Words are a humans' most powerful weapon"?
I don't know who said or wrote this, but:
"You see this restraining order I've got here? Take it -- hold the paper over your heart. Tell me: do you think that paper is going to stop a bullet or a knife?"
well put sir. You win an internet.
Good point. A restraining order is only good against someone who is willing to obey the law.... which most people who have a restraining order against them are NOT willing to do.
@ Riiya932, 05:24 -- That can be true, depending on the words one uses:
"Gunner! Engage target!"
My neice got in a fight with another girl and she got stabbed in the eye with a pencil.
Better ban pencils next!!!
Don't give the fuckers ideas! That will come next if the nanny state idiots have their way.
Is she a filthy American though? It would explain why she is mentally challenged.
Haha, you're pathetic.
Is she alright? :O
Oh god! Dx
It is a known fact that those filthy Americans make terrible pens. After all, they spend all of their time getting fat. Those filthy Americans sure love to be obese.
Sounds like someone has a small penis.....ya big meanie
Sounds like someone has been trolled succesfully.
Like you're not the same person, and thinking you trolled him when he replied calling you a 'big meanie'.
Not the same person, just wanted to make it clear that he has fallen into the ages old trap.
But why should I care, even if I'm not bashing americans, his reply makes it clear that they are indeed immature, not even able to recognize the difference between a real insulter and a (quite lame) troll, and crying out "you have a small penis" to defend themseves whenever they feel they have been insulted by someone (supposedly) from the east...
@08:21
Trying to debunk true rebuttle as 'falling into trap'
typical troll logic.
Is this a new breed of trolling where you try to invoke sarcastic responses instead of getting people angry/upset?
Bitch got fuckvoted. lol.
Looks a dildo than a weapon :/
That tells me what kind of hentai/doujins you like to watch...:p
Dildos for robots? Incredible Japanese police now afraid even of those who use pens?! More strange is that law, coming from a country where swords are worshiped for centuries.
Hey, since when hentai became shame at least around here?
I was thinking the same thing scared of a pen what a bunch of chicken shits.
In my state I can a frigging gun.
A tactical dildo! Awesm
used for tactical insertion O_o?
"your mom's a combat specialist... with my dick" lol.
i lol'd hard
tactical is fine...
you don't want to see a strategical one
Stealthy tactical insertion...
If even heavy-duty pens are out of question, I take it the Japanese can only dream of multitools. Poor bastards are unable to carry a Leatherman. I pity them.
Thing is, these pens ARE for self defense, besides just looking cool. So the ruling makes sense to me.
Besides, everyone knows the best writing implements come from Japan (Pentel, Pilot, et al.) and Germany (Rotring, etc.) so who cares?
Benchmade didn't make these as weapons for self defense and doesn't condone their use in that manner. a Direct quote from their description "Benchmade offers an assortment of specialty pens that provide superior ergonomics, functional styles and feature high quality ink cartridges by Fisher Pen Company®. These writing instruments are proudly manufactured in the USA."
The 1100 and Ti pens are simply novelty items made for collectors and people who demand a strong, unbreakable pen. Using them for self defense is not condoned because you will most likely injure or kill yourself. While it does have a point, its not sharp nor pointed enough to pass through clothing. It would cause mostly blunt impact damage and small wounding. If that is your only line of defense your attacker can quickly overwhelm you. Knife v Pen, Gun V Pen. Etc. Your Better putting the 200+ dollar price tag towards a self defense class because that is NOT want this pen was made for.
While that may be true of the Benchmade one (I'd never seen that brand before) countless other pens like this are being made to exploit pressure points and the like in self defense situations, and some even go further and have things like bonded tungsten carbide STABBING POINTS. (I mean COME ON!)
It's like those little keychain baton things, but actually useful in that like your keys, you always have need to carry a pen, but a shirt pocket makes it more quickly accessible than a pants pocket.
If anything, I'm biased in the OTHER DIRECTION. I've got a metalworking lathe and mill and make cool pens and stuff...but there's no getting around the fact that these things are goddamn weapons. Even the ones the companies say aren't intended as such.
Not a deadly weapon as it gets thick too quickly and would not penetrate very deep even a screw driver is a much deadlier weapon then one of these pens.
Ah, I'd forgotten the term for them. 'Impact weapons'. Things like the Kubotan. Pretty much anything 4~6 inches, rigid, hard, concealable, and easily accessed. (No penis jokes, please.)
Used for attacking joints, pressure points, and stabbing. (Also 'fist loading', but I've always been partial to a roll of pennies or quarters for that.)
Exactly. There is a dedicated self defense and CQC class for this PEN or Kubotan style weapons for pressure point striking. So although it's marketed as a PEN, it's use is a hidden Kubotan disguised as a pen. It's heavy duty construction is no joke or lie, it's specially made with wavy duty materials to withstand abuse and preventing the pen from breaking.
Sounds like corporate CYA bullshit to me.
A $200 defense class is really going to get you fucked.
You would do better putting those $200 into running shoes and taking up jogging, than spending it on a self defense class.
“I’m amazed the yanks were dumb enough to think they could slip stuff like this through customs!”
wat
on a side note, why am i not even suprised to see osaka up there ?
Have you never heard of sarcasm before?
You apparently haven't met many japs. they are stupid enough to actually say that shit in all seriousness of a 5-year old kid, and then like to think they made a legitimate comment.
When you know that some of these comment can be serious ,it kinda jam your sarcasm detector .
Knowing where this one come from ... i'd be more inclined to think he was serious about it .
Very true in every sense. They are quite limited in that department, as well as in many others.
I bet they'd love that UZI pen from ThinkGeek that boasts having a DNA harvester end.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tools/eea4/
As they say, the pen is...
( •_•)
( •_•)>⌐■-■
(⌐■_■)
...Mightier than the sword.
YYYYYYEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!
Mande in China!!!
Its a Benchmade 1100 and Ti model pen. Benchmade made them as a novelty item really. They are not made with self defense in mind. But Benchmade wanted to capture the cold steel style of their blades and make a pen that would be rugged and stylish for the Military, Police, Contractor or collector who fancies those things.
Though, calling them a weapon is odd. It would be VERY hard to penetrate skin with them, while the end is pointed its not sharp and quickly gets too thick. I doubt it would penetrate clothing and cause only light wounds.
That said. They may as well pan Umbrellas, Car Keys, Glasses (they can house blades) and other objects with a point. Not to mention regular pens and Calligraphy pens (now those fucksers are sharp)
But calling it a weapon simply because its made in steel and manufactured by a knife company is retarded.
Honestly, I think they are intended as disguised self-defense weapons, but not advertised as such to skirt around weapon laws and import restrictions. On the Benchmade site, one of those pens is described as having a "carbide tip for glass breaking capability", which doesn't exactly sound like something intended for writing purposes. The idea is likely to go for the eyes of a would-be attacker, though I could see one of these causing injury by striking someone anywhere. Really, even a standard pen could cause serious injury, though these appear ruggedized to inflict more damage.
Breaking glass in a car when you can't escape. Try using it in self defense and your attacker will own you. Its a pointed metal tip. a knife from the same company for 150$ less would be a 500x better defense weapon able to be carried by anyone descreately. its not a self defense weapon. Its a novelty item for collectors and people who like these kinds of things.
A knife is not discrete at all. You can't walk into a meeting, or down the sidewalk carrying a knife in your hand, and most businesses won't even allow employees to conceal them. Sure, it may technically be a more effective deterrent, but if it's not in your hand when you get attacked, it's useless. If someone starts stabbing you with a knife, you're not going to be able to get your own out to defend yourself with until they've done substantial damage. Immediately stab them with the pointed end of your pen, however, and they're bound to back off, or at least get slowed down enough to give you a chance to get away.
To claim that a $200 rugged metal pen with a pointed carbide tip being sold by a knife manufacturer is not at all intended to double as a weapon is a bit of a stretch. For what other reason would a company that almost exclusively sells knives get into the business of selling pens?
Actually they might be designed with the secondary intention of being punching aids or improvised weapons (like a yawara) since they look robust enough not to break on bone or muscle.
Some methods of using these do exist in unarmed combat techniques, like in jujutsu or this: http://www.urbancombatives.com/improv_weapons.htm
Don't be silly. Nobody has ever been killed with an umbrella! (*wink wink*)
It takes exactly 6lbs of pressure to impale a person with a sharpened weapon. That is as hard as tapping the table with your finger or a knock on a door. A pen like this one would take not more than 10lbs pressure - no more than you'd put into a friendly smack on someone's ass.