During the Russo-Japanese War, the battleship "Mikasa" served as the flagship of the Imperial Japanese Combined Fleet. In the previous year (1904) to the Battle of Tsushima, where the Russian Baltic Fleet was annihilated, the "Mikasa" had one of its rear twin main guns destroyed during the Battle of the Yellow Sea.
A plan to use the remains of this destroyed main gun to forge swords was proposed by the Suikosha (a naval officers' camaraderie association) and other groups. Between January 1928 and May 1932, using the remnants of the gun barrel, master swordsmith Horiike Hideaki and his disciples from the prestigious Zuisen Sword Forging Institute of the Muroran Plant of the Japan Steel Works Co., Ltd. (present-day Muroran Works) forged the swords.
A total of 229 long swords, 973 Type A short swords (engraved with "The fate of the Empire rests on this battle"), and 451 Type B short swords were produced and sold through the Suikosha. The popularity of the Mikasa short swords was so high that after the initial production run, the Suikosha requested additional production from the Japan Steel Works.
 
This shirt sword belongs to the additional production and was forged in February 1940, to celebrate the 2600th anniversary of Japanese imperial year.
Mei:
Forged with the gun steel of battleship Mikasa
February 2600th Imperial Year