Photo/Illutration Saburo Ishizaki plans to make a scabbard of plain wood for this partially restored Japanese sword shown in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, on May 1. (Koji Takahashi)

SETOUCHI, Okayama Prefecture--Craftspeople here restoring a Japanese sword for Aung San Suu Kyi have not heard from her representatives since her arrest in a coup staged by the Myanmar military.

While fearing for the safety of the ousted Myanmar leader, the workers have continued the project as scheduled in this western prefecture, and the sword is expected to be finished in autumn.

The blade was created by Sadatsugu Takahashi (1902-1968), a swordsmith of Okayama Prefecture’s Bizen-den school, who was designated a “living human treasure” by the central government.

The weapon was donated to an Imperial Japanese Army lieutenant general who was put in charge of the Burma (Myanmar) area during World War II. It subsequently changed hands to Gen. Aung San, the hero of Burma’s independence movement and Suu Kyi’s father.

The sword has likely been in Suu Kyi’s possession since her father was assassinated in 1947. Over the years, the weapon deteriorated, and its blade is now rusted.

Suu Kyi’s representatives asked the Tokyo-based Nippon Foundation to restore the sword. Foundation officials consulted the Setouchi city government, which arranged the restoration project with artisans based in Okayama Prefecture.

The work began last November at the Bizen Osafune Sword Museum in Setouchi.

The initial stage of “foundation polishing” was undertaken by Tomonobu Yokoyama, a 49-year-old sword polisher who received an excellent rating at an open national competition.

Yokoyama was carefully removing rust from the sword in early February, when it was reported that Suu Kyi was detained. He said he has not been contacted by her representatives since then.

In mid-April, the project entered the stage of making a “habaki” metal piece to protect the blade.

Satoru Koike, a 59-year-old sword accoutrement maker from the prefectural capital of Okayama, took charge of the process. He said he worked in hopes that Myanmar would return to a peaceful state so the sword can be delivered to the client.

The sword is currently being kept by Saburo Ishizaki, a scabbard maker based in Kurashiki, also in the prefecture.

Ishizaki, 70, who is making a scabbard of plain wood for the sword, also said he is praying for Suu Kyi’s safety.

Starting in late August, Yokoyama will apply the finishing touches to the sword by polishing its blade to produce beautiful “hamon” patterns on it.

No prospect, however, is in sight for the delivery of the restored sword.

“I hope to bring back a shine to the sword so it will look as splendid as a Bizen-den Japanese sword can be,” Yokoyama said. “I hope this sword will serve as a bridge between Myanmar and Japan.”

Setouchi Mayor Akinari Takehisa said earlier that he wishes to have the sword shown to the public in the city when the restoration process is over.

“Aung San Suu Kyi’s safety worries me more than anything else,” Takehisa said.

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