Well, It's only my own experience, but... I could repeat it one thousand times and still my word wouldn't have but a thousandth of weight that Dr. Stein's regarding this subject. In short, that I haven't found any ninjato nor anything similar (and I haven't) in my research experience, isn't significant. That Dr. Stein hasn't, is.
There's no such thing as a ninjato in the long and pretty well documented japanese sword history. You may find typologies thay may resemble what is nowadays known as ninjato, but they had their own historical context and had no direct (and much less exclusive) connection with the (historical) ninja.
Yes, it's a modern invention. Media are a very powerful force, much more than we frequently account them for.
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