Samurai swords will be banned from next April, the Government has announced.
Their importation, sale and hire will be made illegal following a series of crimes committed using the weapons, Home Office minister Vernon Coaker said.
Collectors of genuine Japanese swords and martial arts enthusiasts will be exempt from the ban.
Mr Coaker said: "In the wrong hands, samurai swords are dangerous weapons - there have been a number of high profile, serious incidents involving samurai swords in England and Wales in recent years. It is therefore crucial that we take this action to tackle the menace of violent crime.
"We recognise it is the cheap, easily available samurai swords which are being used in crime and not the genuine, more expensive samurai swords, which are of interest to collectors and martial arts enthusiasts.
"We will therefore seek exemptions for these groups when taking this forward next year."
At present, 17 weapons including knuckle-dusters and batons are banned under offensive weapons rules.
Breaching the ban carries a penalty of up to six months in prison and a maximum fine of £5,000.
Ex-Liberal Democrat MP Nigel Jones was attacked in 2000 with a samurai sword, in an incident which claimed the life of his political assistant.
