Late war type 98s with plain tosugo.

[DaveR]

Given the information on here about the bureaucratic processes of approval for IJA equipment, I now have a question about these type 98 shin-gunto. Plain mounts, conforming to pattern, but very plain, without patterns or relief detail. Would there need to be approval for these, or are they within parameters, and too small a change to need formal approval.

[Nick Komiya]

Such a sword could not be sold earlier, as it is clearly in violation of specs given by the Emperor's Edict. But, as material shortages got worse, replacement materials were designated by Army Ordinances signed by the Minister of the Army, which also made things like rubber, steel and ceramic canteens possible, no longer in aluminum as defined in the Emperor's edict. The Rinji-Seishiki Sword replaced the whole sword, but the same could be done at the individual parts level. Thus you can call this a Type 98 with Rinji-Seishiki parts. They started issuing such orders from 1940 and the trend culminated in 1943.