getting a sword permit?

How much is it? Are there any tests? How does the permit work, and what restrictions does it create?
can a foreigner get it easily, or is there more involved?

As far as I know, the permit is not given to the person. It comes with each sword. In other words, a sword without a "registeration certificate" cannot be legally sold or bought. As long as it has a certificate, it seems that anyone can easily keep a sword(s). But to carry it around, you have to have a special reason.

then would it be possible for a foreigner who lives in japan for 2 or 3 years to buy a sword in japan, then bring it with him to the U.S. upon return?
What would that entail, and/or what would I be paying for taxes through the border?

Each sword has a permit of it's own but the prospective buyer must also have a permit. The sword's permit is to ensure that it is BLUNT. Haha! This is what I just asked a friend.

so that means i can only bring over to the US a blunt kitana? Whats the point in doing that since i can buy a sharp sword in the US on the internet?

what about if my sword didnt come with a certificate and it was sharpend at him by hand could i get a permit for it i mean or am i dead if the cops have a reason to search my house ???
and my friend has the same question but his is not sharpend???

Im pretty sure that sharpening is part of the forging process. It isnt the same if you just sharpen it by hand afterwords. Thats like covering a balding head by painting it black to look like hair.

I would bet in the hills there are some people that make sharpened ones, but yeah customs would be death.

the guy that sharpens it to finish is the one who's supposed to get the certificate (Kill Bill Hanzo doesn't exist). But if you happen to discover a lost sword from the ruins or something, that is likely to have no certificate. In that case, I think it was that you can report it to the police and get a certificate or something like that. I'm too lazy to double check right now. Anyway, if you want to keep a sword for a good reason, the law usually works for you.

i dotn really know about Japan or the states, but a someone who collects swords here in Australia, i checked on the legality of keeping swords and i was told by the police
1 that it is illegal to have a sword sharper than a 5cent coin. (that is they must be blunt to be legal)
this appears to be because they have been taken off the dangerous weapons list.

note a sharpened sword is Illegal and is more than probably on the dangerous weapons list, so think of importing one like importing some other type of dangerous weapon. you will need some sort of permit to keep one.
you would probably be best off to check with someone in the know back in the states, the local police department or customs even. give them a call or something, it cant hurt to ask. the thing with laws is they are different in different countries.

Actually i was told you will need a CLASS 3 weapons permit to obain one and to keep it in your household(This counts the same as a Collectors permit)