Battles in Japan had mainly long-distance weapons including bows in the middle age and guns in the modern age, and as for a middle-distance fight, after fighting with Yari (spears), they ended up wrestling to cut the carotid artery by Tanto (short sword) or Yoroidoshi (knife going through armor), so Japanese swords were usually used as assistance for Yari.
日本の合戦は中世の弓や近世の鉄砲などといった遠距離兵器が主体であり、中距離での戦いは槍などで闘ったあと、短刀や鎧通しで頸動脈を切るための組み打ちで終結するため、日本刀は槍の補助として使われる事が多かった。