Top of PageGun Policy News
Firearm violence, gun control and small arms
86 Modified Replica Guns Seized from Japanese Businessman
14 May 2013
Japan Daily Press
The chairman of a food company in Kumamoto was arrested by police after it was discovered he was hiding 86 modified guns in his possession. 73 year old Motoo Kira was arrested on Monday for concealing these guns, as well as 62 bullets, in a storage facility.
Investigators believe that the guns were modified by Kira using his own tools. After testing the weapons, the authorities conclude that all of these guns were lethal. The police were also able to seize a handmade... (GunPolicy.org)
Japanese Turn 'Gun Ho' in Guam but Prefer Own Gun Culture
17 February 2013
Japan Times
TAMUNING, Guam – Their well-equipped arsenals offer everything from tiny revolvers for ladies to Berettas, Glocks, semiautomatic pistols and M16 military assault rifles. If kids can see over the counter, they're welcome too.
Forget the white sandy beaches, coral reefs and laid-back island culture. For many Japanese tourists, the biggest thrill on Guam is the chance to shoot a gun at one of its ubiquitous ranges, dozens of which are tucked between upscale shopping... (GunPolicy.org)
Fact-Check: Dispelling Pro-Gun Myths in America
31 January 2013
Mother Jones (USA)
By cutting off federal funding for research and stymieing data collection and sharing, the National Rifle Association has tried to do to the study of gun violence what climate deniers have done to the science of global warming. No wonder: When it comes to hard numbers, some of the gun lobby's favorite arguments are full of holes.
Myth #1: They're coming for your guns.
Fact-check: No one knows the exact number of guns in America, but it's clear there's no practical way... (GunPolicy.org)
Even Gangsters Live in Fear of Japan's Gun Laws
6 January 2013
Japan Times
It's almost impossible to get to a gun in Japan, and selling one or owning one is a serious crime. Fire the gun? Possibly life imprisonment. Gun-control laws are taken so seriously that police will pursue a violator all the way to the grave — and maybe beyond.
The rationale for this is simple: "Of course, guns don't kill people; people kill people — guns just make it a lot easier to kill a lot of people. That's why Japan bans them and that's why my job was catching... (GunPolicy.org)
Why Japan Is So Safe From Guns - Opinion
19 December 2012
New York Daily News, Opinion
Everyone wants to live in a country that never has any mass shootings.
The Japanese do. So, what's their secret?
It's not hard to figure out: Japan stringently suppresses gun ownership. Even compared to the United Kingdom, whose gun controls are the most repressive of any major country in Western Europe, Japan is extreme. No rifles. No handguns. Shotguns and air guns are allowed only under a licensing system that is designed to discourage everyone but the most highly... (GunPolicy.org)
Scotland,United States,United Kingdom,Australia,Japan
Several Countries Curbed Guns, Saw Public Safety Improve [Espanol]
18 December 2012
BBC News
[Translated summary: Three industrialised nations - Japan, Australia and the United Kingdom have dramatically reduced gun deaths after applying strict firearm laws.]
Tres naciones industrializadas -Japón, Australia y Escocia- han logrado reducir dramáticamente las muertes por armas de fuego tras aplicar estrictas leyes que regulan el porte y comercio de armas que podría servir de modelo en Estados Unidos cuando ese pueblo trata de reponerse de la matanza de niños y... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada,Japan,Switzerland,Germany,Spain,United Kingdom,Netherlands,Denmark,European Union,France
Firearms Worldwide: Really Different Laws Across Countries [Francais]
18 December 2012
JOL Press (Paris)
[Translated summary: France: follows European policies - Denmark and Netherlands: total ban - United Kingdom: almost all firearms are prohibited - Switzerland: a more liberal legislation - the Japanese model: no firearm at all - Canada: the stormy debate on the right to carry firearms]
La récente tuerie de Newton a relancé une fois de plus le débat sur le port d'armes aux États-Unis. Mais quelle est la réglementation dans d'autres pays du monde ? Petit tour... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan,Scotland,Australia,United States
In Other Countries than the US, Laws Are Strict and Work
17 December 2012
New York Times, Editorial
Like other shootings before it, the Newtown, Conn., tragedy has reawakened America to its national fixation with firearms. No country in the world has more guns per capita, with some 300 million civilian firearms now in circulation, or nearly one for every adult.
Experts from the Harvard School of Public Health, using data from 26 developed countries, have shown that wherever there are more firearms, there are more homicides. In the case of the United States,... (GunPolicy.org)
Strong Views on Japan Exports, US Role in Global Gun Trade
2 September 2012
Japan Times, Editorial
The international trade in small arms more than doubled since 2006, growing into a stunning $8.5 billion a year industry. The latest Small Arms Survey by an independent research group in Geneva found that large-scale government spending and increased purchases by American civilians, in addition to steady sales to developing countries, contributed to the upsurge.
The reported increase can also be attributed to better information and more thorough research. The result,... (GunPolicy.org)
Tunisia,Yemen,United States,Japan
Land Without Guns: How Japan Has Virtually Eliminated Firearm Deaths
23 July 2012
Atlantic (USA)
I've heard it said that, if you take a walk around Waikiki, it's only a matter of time until someone hands you a flyer of scantily clad women clutching handguns, overlaid with English and maybe Japanese text advertising one of the many local shooting ranges. The city's largest, the Royal Hawaiian Shooting Club, advertises instructors fluent in Japanese, which is also the default language of its website. For years, this peculiar Hawaiian industry has explicitly targeted... (GunPolicy.org)
Timor-Leste,Thailand,Sri Lanka,Myanmar,Indonesia,South Asia,South East Asia,Israel,Iran,Cuba,United States,Japan,China,Brunei,Philippines,Pakistan,India,Asia
UN Urges Asian Nations to Help Curb Global Trade in Illegal Guns
6 March 2012
Jakarta Post
The United Nations is urging all nations in the Asia region to implement concrete solutions to stop illegal trading in small arms and light weapons.
"Over the past decades, trade has made this region grow so phenomenally. If you are a region where international trade is what makes you tick, you better also make sure that you are seen as doing trade in the right way," UN disarmament affairs official Daniel Prins told reporters on the sidelines of opening the Asian... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Oppose Gun Lobby Push to Slacken Law, Reduce Gun Limits in Japan
7 December 2011
Japan Today
TOKYO — Farmers in rural areas have been reporting increasing damage to their crops by wild boar, deer and other animals. To make firearms more accessible, a bill that would loosen the currently tight restrictions on hunting rifles has been proposed in the Diet. But, the Sankei Shimbun (Dec 4) reports, the police remain adamantly opposed to changes in the law.
According to data compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in 2009, crop damage from... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan,United States,Philippines
Philippines Needs Stricter Gun Control Laws - Opinion
11 October 2011
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Opinion
Joke only: A Llama is a handgun.
But a Llamas is an AK-47.
* * *
Because of the AK-47 found in the vehicle of Presidential Political Adviser Ronald Llamas when it figured in an accident on Edsa (Llamas was away in Switzerland), the talk at the Kapihan sa Manila at the Diamond Hotel last Monday centered on guns in the hands of civilians.
And the guests were all well qualified to talk about guns: brand-new PNP chief, Director General Nicanor Bartolome,... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippines,United States,Asia,Japan
Stricter Gun Laws Needed to Stop the Massacre in Philippines
22 September 2011
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Opinion
The shooting by a 13-year-old of his 17-year-old boyfriend in an SM mall in Pampanga is just another proof that we have very liberal gun laws and that we should have stricter gun laws to curb crime, as the Gunless Society keeps insisting. How can such a young boy have access to a handgun, carry it past the security guards of the mall and then shoot his boyfriend if we had adequate gun laws?
The same with the abandoned wife who shot her estranged husband in another SM... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,Switzerland,Russia,Norway,Mexico,Japan,Italy,Germany,Austria,Czech Republic,India,China,Canada,Brazil,Australia,United States
How Gun Control Laws Vary in 16 Countries Around the World
10 January 2011
Guardian (UK)
Australia
Ownership is strictly prohibited unless there are "genuine reasons" such as licensed sport, animal control or employment requirements.
Brazil
If you are over 25 and have registered a weapon, you are free to keep it indoors. The country has the second-highest gun-related death rate after the US.
Canada
Significantly stricter than the neighbouring US. To acquire a licence, applicants must undertake a safety course, pass a criminal records check and be... (GunPolicy.org)
Saudi Arabia,Pakistan,Japan,United Kingdom,Switzerland,Finland,Yemen,United States
Civilians Own 74% Of All Guns Globally, Firearm Laws Differ Greatly
15 December 2010
Times of India
The 'Gun Debate' has engaged many parts of the world for decades and both public opinion and lawmakers in different countries differ considerably on this question. Interestingly, 74% of all firearms globally are owned by civilians.
The right to own a firearm is a major issue in US politics and many Americans consider the possession of firearms a time-honoured custom. Strong gun-supporting lobbies like the National Rifle Association spend millions of dollars to fight... (GunPolicy.org)
Tokyo Gun Stores Go On Strike to Protest Stricter Firearm Ownership Laws
4 December 2010
Mainichi Daily News (Japan)
An organization of gun stores in Tokyo went on a two-day strike on Dec. 4 at all of its 18 member stores to protest stricter controls on owning hunting guns that it says have devastated sales.
On the morning of Dec. 4, the 18 stores posted notices at their storefronts reading "On Strike!" The organization says that sales are over 50 percent down at all stores.
"We apologize to our customers, but we judged that this was something we had to do," said a director of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan to Relax Post-war Ban on Arms Exports, Already Major Gun Supplier
21 April 2010
Global Times (China)
Tokyo wants to relax its self-imposed ban on arms exports, a Financial Times report published Monday quoted a Japanese defense official as saying.
Akihisa Nagashima, a parliamentary vice minister of defense, told the Financial Times that the move reflected concern about the competitiveness of the country's defense industry and the high prices its military must pay for arms that are often less than cutting edge.
Tokyo in 1967 announced the Three Principles on Arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Kills 2, Himself, in Rare Japanese Bar Shooting
12 January 2010
Associated Press
TOKYO,Japan - A man opened fire at a bar in western Japan on Tuesday, killing two people and wounding one seriously before taking his own life.
Guns are strictly controlled in Japan, and shootings are rare. When such attacks do occur, they are often linked to gangsters known as yakuza.
Police in Habikino City in Osaka prefecture were investigating the gunman's motive, police official Mitsuyuki Oda said. The Kyodo News agency said the gunman was a city employee and... (GunPolicy.org)
Yakuza Gunman Dead, Three Injured in Rare Japanese Shooting
6 November 2009
BBC News
A gunman in Japan has taken his own life after wounding three people in Yokohama, outside Tokyo, police said.
The gunman had taken refuge in a building in a residential area which the police surrounded.
A police spokesman said one of the injured men was in a critical condition and the other two were lightly wounded.
Japanese media reported the violence appeared to be gang related. Shootings are rare in Japan, where there are strict gun control laws.
Police named... (GunPolicy.org)
Host Holds Unloaded Gun for 6secs on Japan TV Show, Police Pounce
2 July 2009
Asahi Shimbun (Japan) / International Herald Tribune
OTSU, Shiga Prefecture — Given this nation's strict gun control law, were police overreacting when they swooped on a TV broadcaster that had allowed a celebrity to handle a hunting rifle during a live broadcast?
The Shiga prefectural police insist they were perfectly within their rights, but TV networks are outraged, citing the fact the weapon was not loaded.
The incident stems from a show aired Jan. 17 by Biwako Broadcasting Co. Almost four months later, police... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Asahi Shimbun (Japan) / International Herald Tribune
Police Seize 800 'Lethal' Soft Air Guns from Japanese Airgun Maker
11 November 2008
Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan) / AP
The Metropolitan Police Department suspects that a Tokyo-based company's airsoft gun put on sale in July is powerful enough to injure or kill without any modifications to the body, sources familiar with the case have said.
It is rare for police to recognize an unconverted airsoft gun as a lethal weapon.
The MPD seized 800 units of the type of gun during an inspection of the manufacturer on suspicion of violating the Firearms and Swords Control Law.
The MPD plans... (GunPolicy.org)
Yakuza Gangster Sentenced to Death for Shooting Mayor of Nagasaki
26 May 2008
Associated Press
TOKYO — A court in Japan convicted an alleged gangster and sentenced him to death Monday for the fatal shooting of a popular mayor in a crime that stunned a nation that takes great pride in its rigid gun-control laws, media reports said.
Tetsuya Shiroo, 60, who police say is a gang boss, was convicted of murder and sentenced to death Monday in Nagasaki District Court, according to Kyodo News and NHK TV. Court official Tomoya Nagata refused to confirm the ruling.... (GunPolicy.org)
Doctor Faces Japanese Court Over 18 Guns, Home Made Ammunition
22 May 2008
Mainichi Daily News (Japan)
TSU — A doctor accused of illegally possessing guns has been slapped with a new charge of manufacturing bullets without permission, law enforcers said.
Mie Prefectural Police have sent to the Tsu District Public Prosecutors Office additional papers accusing Kenji Abo, 58, a doctor from Tsu, of violating the Ordnance Manufacturing Law.
"I wanted to make (bullets) by myself," Abo was quoted as telling police as he admitted to the charges.
Abo had earlier been... (GunPolicy.org)
Stalkers, Spouse Abusers, Bankrupts, Suicidal to Lose Their Guns in Japan
4 April 2008
Asahi Shimbun (Japan) / IHT
The National Police Agency plans to overhaul the gun control law for the first time in 28 years to keep firearms from stalkers, spouse abusers, bankrupt people and those with suicidal tendencies, sources said Thursday.
The changes will also include a clause requiring a psychiatric check of applicants for gun permits "if necessary."
The agency plans to submit a bill to revise the Firearms and Sword Control Law in the next Diet session, according to the sources.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan: Police Could Seize Hunting Rifles for Family Violence, Stalking, Debt
3 April 2008
Mainichi Daily News
The National Police Agency (NPA) is seeking a legal ban on those involved in stalking incidents or domestic violence from possessing hunting guns, agency officials said.
The NPA is expected to submit a bill during the next Diet session to revise the Firearms and Swords Control Law to include involvement in stalking incidents and domestic violence as grounds for disqualification for possessing hunting guns.
Under the current law, only those convicted of serious... (GunPolicy.org)
Japanese Worry As More Licensed Guns Used in Murder, Family Violence
27 February 2008
BBC News
TOKYO — Japan is not a country you associate with serious crime.
It has one of the lowest crime rates in the world, but figures published recently suggest the number of shootings here rose by a quarter last year, the first rise in five years.
Gangsters were blamed for two-thirds of the attacks but many Japanese are worried that, increasingly, licensed guns are being used for murder too.
In 2006 just two people were killed in gun attacks in Japan. Last year the... (GunPolicy.org)
2,885 Japanese Gun Owners Surrender 4,467 Weapons After One Rampage
8 February 2008
Asahi Shimbun (Japan)
Gun owners are turning in their licenses for thousands of weapons following public outrage over a shooting incident at a sports club in Nagasaki Prefecture last December that left two people dead, the National Police Agency said Thursday.
The NPA said a total of 2,885 gun owners have opted to return their licenses for 4,467 weapons and have either sold or disposed of the guns.
Of the total, 90 gun owners who had come to the attention of the police for instances of... (GunPolicy.org)
Japanese Police Visit 65,000 Gun Owners, Declare 90 Unfit to Own Firearms
8 February 2008
Daily Yomiuri (Japan)
Ninety gun owners were ordered to return their gun licenses and 145 firearms as of Jan. 31, after being judged unfit to possess them under police inspections conducted in the wake of a shooting rampage in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, in December, it has been learned.
The inspections were conducted nationwide by prefectural police headquarters on people who possess hunting guns — shotguns and rifles — and air guns.
The number of people ordered to turn in licenses... (GunPolicy.org)
66 Shootings, Mainly Non-fatal, Across Japan in 2007 - Up From 53 in 2006
7 February 2008
Reuters
TOKYO — The number of shootings in Japan rose in 2007 for the first time in six years, police said on Thursday, in a review of a year that included the assassination of a city mayor and gun use involving rival gangsters.
Shootings rose to 66 compared with a record low of 53 in 2006, the National Police Agency said in a report. The figure was up for the first time since 2001.
"There was an increase in confrontations between gangster organisations and a series of... (GunPolicy.org)
Japanese Police Visit, Check 175,000 Gun Owners to Lessen Massacre Risk
30 January 2008
Bloomberg (USA)
TOKYO — Japan's National Police Agency ordered checks on all registered firearms after two people were shot to death at a gym in southern Japan in December, the Asahi newspaper reported.
Police departments plan to complete checks by the end of March, the newspaper reported, without saying who provided the information. Statistics show about 175,000 people in Japan had permits to own about 340,000 firearms as of 2006, the newspaper said.
Gun owners in Japan must... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan's National Police Urge Gun Owners to Store Weapons with Dealers
23 December 2007
Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan)
Responding to the shooting rampage at a sports club in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, on Dec. 14, the National Police Agency told the Metropolitan Police Department and prefectural police headquarters Friday to urge owners of hunting guns and air rifles to deposit their guns at gun dealers instead of storing them at their homes.
According to the NPA, about 175,000 people were licensed to own about 339,000 shotguns and rifles for hunting and air rifles for target... (GunPolicy.org)
Japanese PM Orders Gun Control Audit: All Gun Owners To Be Re-assessed
22 December 2007
Japan Today / Kyodo
TOKYO — Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on Friday ordered ministers in his cabinet to formulate measures to reinforce the nation's gun controls following the fatal shooting rampage on Dec. 14 in Nagasaki Prefecture, Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said.
Following Fukuda's order made during a ministerial meeting on fighting crime, National Public Safety Commission Chairman Shinya Izumi said he plans to conduct overall inspections on the management of 300,000... (GunPolicy.org)
Shooting Puts Gun Law, Ownership, Proliferation Under Scrutiny in Japan
20 December 2007
Asahi Shimbun (Japan)
With nearly 340,000 guns legally circulating in Japan, Friday's shooting in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, has inevitably raised questions about gun control.
The case also drove home to many that incidents involving firearms, such as those often reported in "gun societies" like the United States, can occur in Japan.
Only a tiny fraction of applications to own a gun are rejected, and once a permit is given, it is rarely revoked. Renewal of a permit is almost always... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan's PM Says Gun Control Just a Part of Comprehensive Violence Plan
18 December 2007
Kyodo News (Japan)
TOKYO — Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on Monday emphasized the importance of considering ways to secure public safety in a comprehensive manner following the fatal shooting rampage last week in Nagasaki Prefecture.
"We must consider carefully the issues such as the criteria for use of guns and their management, but if we were to ask whether just controlling guns would make things perfect, the incident at Ikeda elementary comes to mind," Fukuda told reporters.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan to Review Gun Control Laws After Gym Shooting, Says Prime Minister
17 December 2007
Agence France Presse
TOKYO — Japan will review its gun control laws following last week's deadly shooting at a sports club in western Japan, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Monday.
A man opened fire Friday night at a private gym in Sasebo, western Japan, killing two people and injuring six.
"No matter what the reason is, we should not let such a crime happen at any cost," Fukuda told reporters.
"There must be problems with usage standards or ways to control (guns)," Fukuda told... (GunPolicy.org)
Japanese Killer Was Licensed Gun Owner: Tougher Gun Laws Called for
17 December 2007
Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan)
Friday's shooting rampage in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, was just the latest tragedy involving a legally owned gun. The incident comes after little progress has been made in toughening up the rules governing eligibility for gun ownership. The Sasebo shooting has also sparked questions about why the suspect had been allowed to own guns even after neighbors had raised alarm about his odd behavior.
Blame lies partly with a fault in the gun control system: Gun permits... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Gun Owner Kills 2, Shoots Himself at Japanese Sports Club
16 December 2007
Agence France Presse
TOKYO — Japanese media called for tighter gun-control laws on Sunday following a deadly shooting at a sports club, which sent shockwaves through the country in which gun crimes are emerging.
"We feel fear that (Japan) has turned out to be a gun society like the United States," the Yomiuri Shimbun said in an editorial. "A gun was pointed at random at the ordinary public. It was an unprecedented crime in Japan."
"It is necessary to tighten permission standards such... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan Will Jail Armed Gangsters, Owners of Multiple Guns for Up to 15yrs
26 November 2007
Reuters
TOKYO — Japan's parliament on Monday passed legislation strengthening gun control following a spate of shootings by gangsters, including the assassination of a city mayor in April and the recent murder of a hospital patient in a case of mistaken identity.
The revision of the firearms control law is the first since 1995, and imposes heavier punishments for gun crimes committed by members of organised crime gangs.
After the new law takes effect, which is expected by... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Crime Penalties Leap in Japan: 10yrs for Possession, 15yrs for Firing
17 October 2007
Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan)
The government approved a bill Tuesday to revise the Firearms and Swords Control Law and stiffen penalties that will now include a maximum 30 million yen fine on a person who shoots a gun on behalf of organized crime.
The revision of the law, which is to be toughened for the first time since 1995, aims to make members of crime syndicates reconsider whether crime pays with the increased fines.
The bill, which was approved at a Cabinet meeting, is to be submitted to... (GunPolicy.org)
Stringent Gun Control Penalties Follow High-Profile Yakuza Crimes in Japan
17 October 2007
All Headline News (USA)
TOKYO — Crime busters want to hit the yakuza crime syndicate with a heavy 30 million yen ($256,695) fine added to prison sentences for gun use, possession and manufacturing - three times what offenders now pay.
It will be the most far-reaching since illegal shooting was added to the Swords and Firearms Control Law 12 years ago and follows high profile crimes across Japan this year. On Sunday, a former yakuza adviser was shot dead in downtown Tokyo, police said.... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan Hikes Gun Penalties: 15yrs for Illegal Possession, 5yrs to Life if Fired
16 October 2007
Xinhua
TOKYO — Japan plans to revise its law to impose tougher punishment on possessing a gun or illegally firing guns, Kyodo News said Tuesday.
The government adopted a bill on Tuesday to make the changes such as lifting the maximum sentence for having a gun from 10 years to 15 years, and the minimum sentence of illegally firing a gun from three to five years.
The bill, if passed by the parliament, would be the first revision to Japan's firearms control law since 1995.... (GunPolicy.org)
Japanese Police Charge Dead Gun Collector Over Submachine Gun, Pistol
5 September 2007
Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan)
Police will file papers Wednesday with prosecutors against a deceased man from whose house in Yokohama they seized a submachine gun, a pistol and 179 rounds of ammunition in June.
The man, 52, died of an unnamed disease at his home in Isogo Ward, on May 28, and his sister, 55, and nephew, 26, found a 9mm automatic pistol and 159 rounds of 9mm ammunition inside a desk in a study on the first floor on June 10.
The police searched the house on June 14 after being... (GunPolicy.org)
Japanese Government Plans Even Tougher Gun Control Measures
26 June 2007
Yomiuri Shimbun / AP
A government study group announced a raft of emergency measures Monday to tighten control on firearms, such as stiffening penalties for people who violate the Firearms and Swords Control Law and establishing a seaborne trade regulatory center at the customs authority.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered relevant government offices to tighten gun control in May, in light of a number of incidents such as the fatal shooting of Nagasaki Mayor Itcho Ito in April.
The group... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan Discusses New Laws, Tighter Border Control to Curb Gun Running
26 June 2007
Japan Times / Kyodo
A government project team completed Monday a package of proposals to tighten firearms restrictions in the wake of the April assassination of Nagasaki Mayor Itcho Ito and the gunning down of a riot police officer in Aichi Prefecture in May.
The measures include stiffening the penalties under the gun control law and boosting surveillance and other efforts against weapons smuggling. To put them into effect, the government hopes to submit a bill to the Diet in the fall and... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippine Police Crack Taiwan/Japan Yakuza Gun Trafficking Ring
5 June 2007
Central News Agency / eTaiwanNews.com
Police in the Philippines have arrested Yamaguchi-gumi Akire Nemoto, believed to be the right hand man to leader Yasuo Takagi. He was arrested in Manila for arms smuggling, seizing weapons including a U.S.-made KG99 assault rifle, two mini pistols and numerous rounds of ammunition.
Police also discovered that members of the Bamboo Union flew to Manila from Taiwan to meet with Nemoto to discuss deals involving drugs, firearms smuggling and cross-border money... (GunPolicy.org)
Despite Tight Gun Control, Gun Crime Headlines Mar Japan's Safe Image
5 June 2007
Japan Times
Japan, whose strict gun controls have long helped its image as the safest industrialized nation, has recently seen its reputation slip in the wake of headline-making shootings.
Nagasaki Mayor Itcho Ito was gunned down by a yakuza during his re-election campaign on April 17; a mobster holed himself up April 20 in an apartment in Machida, western Tokyo, after fatally shooting a fellow yakuza; a former gangster in Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture, shot and wounded his two... (GunPolicy.org)
With Only 19 Gun Homicides in 2005, Japan Holds the Line on Gun Violence
3 May 2007
Japan Times
On the morning of April 17, I received an apprehensive telephone call from a Japanese friend, a former employee of a foreign TV news bureau here.
Initial bulletins from Blacksburg, Virginia, were reporting that the shooter at Virginia Tech appeared to be a young Asian male. "Do you think he could be Japanese?" she asked.
I unhesitatingly ruled this out. First of all, I told her, the percentages were completely against it. When it comes to gun-related crimes abroad,... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,United Kingdom,Canada,Japan,Germany,Australia,United Nations
Shooting Massacres Often Bring Tough Gun Controls Around the World
30 April 2007
Associated Press
After a loner armed with assault weapons turned a scenic resort into a mass of mangled bodies and thrashing injured in 1996, Australia took quick and decisive action. Twelve days later, the government pushed through a tough ban on semiautomatic rifles.
Australia, which had been bloodied by 13 mass shootings in the 15 years that preceded the slaughter in Port Arthur, Tasmania, hasn't seen one since.
Gun control proponents say the Australian experience, and more modest... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan Tightens Gun Control Guidelines to Prevent Illegal Firearm Imports
25 April 2007
Associated Press
TOKYO — Japan adopted stricter gun control guidelines today following a spate of gangster shootings that rattled a nation renowned for its crime-free streets, a government official said.
The measures are intended to reduce the smuggling of guns into Japan by organized crime groups and focus on getting rid of guns already in circulation, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hakubun Shimomura said.
"Most of the guns that are confiscated in Japan are foreign guns," Shimomura... (GunPolicy.org)
Former Legionnaire and Wife Held in Japan on Gun Running Charges
24 April 2007
Asahi Shimbun (Japan)
A former Japanese member of the French Foreign Legion and his wife were arrested on suspicion of possessing firearms that were likely smuggled into the country, police said Monday.
Three others, including a company president in Kanagawa Prefecture, were arrested for allegedly buying and possessing the weapons.
Police said they have also obtained an arrest warrant for another man suspected of buying a handgun from the former soldier, they said.
Eleven handguns,... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Guns Flourish in Japan, Police Befuddled by Gang Shootings
23 April 2007
Asahi Shimbun (Japan) / IHT
Two fatal street shootings by gangsters within a week — one in Nagasaki and the other in the Tokyo area — have shattered the illusion that Japan is a country largely free of gun-related crime.
One estimate says there are 50,000 illegal guns in Japan.
The problem, police say, is that it is getting harder to know where to find the weapons.
Almost all are believed to be in the possession of crime syndicates, which have smuggled them from abroad in violation of... (GunPolicy.org)
Mobster Shot Nagasaki's Mayor, But Deaths by Gunshot Still Rare in Japan
20 April 2007
Associated Press
When Nagasaki's mayor was gunned down, it was not much of a surprise that a gangster was arrested. In a country where regular citizens face strict gun laws, the mob does most of the shooting.
Itcho Ito, 61, died early Wednesday after being shot twice in the back Tuesday evening. Tetsuya Shiroo, a senior member of the top underworld syndicate, Yamaguchi-gumi, was captured at the scene and owned up to the assassination, police said.
"This murder, which took place in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan Eyes Tighter Gun Control Rules After Yakuza Shootings
20 April 2007
Associated Press
TOKYO — Japan's government said Friday that it will consider tightening gun-control rules after the murder of Nagasaki's mayor, as a new gun death rattled the country.
A man was shot dead outside a shop in suburban Tokyo, just three days after the mayor was gunned down in Nagasaki in a killing that has stunned a nation priding itself on its safety record.
Underworld gangs are linked to most gun violence here, including the death of mayor Iccho Ito, who was attacked... (GunPolicy.org)
Nagasaki Mayor's Slaying Highlights Japan's Unique Gun Culture
19 April 2007
Associated Press
TOKYO — When Nagasaki's mayor was fatally shot in southern Japan, it wasn't much of a surprise that a gangster was arrested as the suspect. In a country where regular citizens face strict gun laws, the mob does most of the shooting.
Iccho Ito, 61, was shot twice in the back Tuesday evening and died early Wednesday. Tetsuya Shiroo, a senior member of Japan's largest crime syndicate, the Yamaguchi-gumi, was captured at the scene and admitted to the attack, police... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Meet to Combat Illegal Gun Trafficking from Philippines to Japan
12 March 2007
Manila Standard
Eight police generals will leave for Japan today for a four-day meeting on gun control in Tokyo in the wake of the Japanese' growing concerns over rising gun smuggling cases in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Philippine National Police and the Japan Police will also discuss initiatives on crime scene investigations and compare notes on new strategies, techniques and equipment in dealing with criminals.
Those given authority to attend the Japan conference were the... (GunPolicy.org)
Crime Boss Arrested in Philippine-Japan Yakuza Gun Running Probe
22 August 2006
Japan Times / AP / Kyodo
Tokyo police on Monday arrested a crime boss whose gang allegedly spearheaded an operation to smuggle guns and explosives from the Philippines into Japan.
The Metropolitan Police Department said Tadashi Matsuda, 43, was arrested on suspicion of violating firearms control laws.
Matsuda's gang — part of the Tokyo-based Inagawa-kai, Japan's third-largest crime syndicate — has been under investigation for allegedly smuggling at least 11 handguns and 220 bullets from... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan Says Curbs on Gun Transfers Should Be UN Small Arms Priority
27 June 2006
Kyodo
Japan believes the importance of transfer controls on small arms should be stressed in the final documents of the small arms conference review being held at U.N. headquarters, Japan's Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Shintaro Ito said Monday in New York.
Speaking at the opening of the two-week U.N. conference to review progress in global curbs on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, Ito outlined Japan's progress since the 2001 Program of... (GunPolicy.org)
UN Confab on Small Arms, Gun Trade Opens in New York
26 June 2006
Kyodo
A U.N. conference to review progress in global curbs on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons opened Monday at U.N. headquarters in New York.
Designed to review progress in implementing the 2001 Program of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, the meeting is expected to produce a political document setting new goals at its close on July 7.
The nonbinding program, adopted unanimously five years ago, commits countries to a variety of measures to cut back... (GunPolicy.org)
Global Campaign Urges Japan to Champion UN Curbs on Illicit Gun Trade
14 March 2006
Japan Times / Kyodo
LONDON — Campaigners on Monday called on Japan to lead efforts to strengthen the international code on the export of small arms.
The London-based International Action Network on Small Arms, a group of more than 700 civic organizations around the world, wants the rules to be made more explicit to deter exports to countries that abuse human rights.
It will call on members of the United Nations in June to strengthen the code and wants Japan to take more of a lead in... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan Needs to Take Lead on Reforming Global Gun Rules, Says IANSA
12 March 2006
Kyodo News / Japan Economic Newswire
LONDON — Campaigners called on Japan on Monday to lead efforts to toughen up the international code on the export of small arms.
The London-based International Action Network on Small Arms wants the rules to be made more explicit in order to deter exports to countries where human rights abuses exist.
It will call on members of the United Nations in June to strengthen the existing code and wants Japan to take more of a lead in discussions.
IANSA estimates that more... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan to Ban Powerful Toy Air Guns in Wake of Injuries, Assaults
5 February 2006
Japan Economic Newswire / Kyodo
TOKYO — The National Police Agency has decided to ban the ownership of powerful toy air guns in order to curb incidents involving such guns being remodeled to give them killing power, agency officials said Sunday.
The agency will submit legislation to revise the firearm control law to the ongoing Diet session so a violator will face imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 300,000 yen, they said.
According to the agency, 165 injury and assault cases... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan's Top Mafia Boss Jailed Over Bodyguard's Gun
5 December 2005
Pravda / AP
The head of Japan's largest underworld crime syndicate was jailed Monday, public prosecutors said, after the country's top court rejected his appeal in a gun control violation case.
Kenichi Shinoda, 63, surrendered to Osaka prefectural (state) police and was placed in the local detention center, a public prosecutor's office spokesman said anonymously in accordance with the office's regulations.
Last Thursday, the Supreme Court sentenced Shinoda, who became head of... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan's Crime Boss Faces 6yrs Prison for His Bodyguard's Gun
1 December 2005
Kyodo News
The boss of Japan's largest crime syndicate, Yamaguchi-gumi, will be imprisoned soon as the Supreme Court has rejected his appeal in a gun control law violation case, sources familiar with the case said Thursday.
The top court decision, dated Tuesday, finalizes a six-year prison sentence on Kenichi Shinoda, 63, who has been on bail, they said.
Shinoda is convicted of conspiracy with a bodyguard who was found to be in illegal possession of a gun in 1997.
Shinoda,... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan's Hidden Small Arms Trade
1 December 2005
Asia Times (Hong Kong) / Japan Focus
Japan's 2004 announcement that it was considering joining the US in the production of a missile defense system was deeply troubling to Japanese and Asians concerned about the country's expansive military posture in tandem with the Americans.
Over the years, Japan has created a high-tech, non-nuclear military force. But it has steadfastly maintained an official ban on weapons exports. Many feared that the 2004 move heralded the end of Japan's nearly 40-year-old ban on... (GunPolicy.org)
Air Guns Powerful 'Toys' Beyond Reach of Police
19 October 2005
Asahi Shimbun (Japan)
In legal terms, they are toys; in the wrong hands, say some law enforcement officials, they are potential killers and should be controlled.
But as the National Police Agency is discovering, ensuring the safe use of air guns is easier said than done.
With more than 20 air gun attacks in the last two months, prefectural police nationwide have been ordered by the NPA to track souped up versions.
But with no regulations or registering system for air guns, police have... (GunPolicy.org)
Police to Upgrade Clubs in Defence Against Rising Street Crimes
6 October 2005
Associated Press
The streets of Japan still aren't all that mean. Police often patrol neighborhoods on bicycles, spend much of their time talking to kids or giving directions, and were involved in just 11 shootouts last year. That's all year, nationwide.
But times are changing.
Amid an increase in street crime and violence directed at officers themselves, Japan's National Police Agency is seeking to upgrade its defensive arsenal, introducing sturdier clubs as standard equipment for... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,Europe,Japan,Russia,Canada,United Nations,Australia
Feature: G8 Nations and Australia's Global Gun Sales Detailed
7 July 2005
Age (Melbourne)
As George Bush, Tony Blair, Vladimir Putin and the other G8 leaders discuss the world's problems at their luxurious Gleneagles hotel, Africa's death dealers are hawking their wares in open-air markets.
In the Somali capital, Mogadishu, at least four gun markets operate where Russian made AK-47 assault rifles, American M-16s and German semi-automatics are sold for less than $250. Not far from the markets, mortars, missiles and anti-aircraft guns can be tested. If you... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Europe,Japan,Canada,Russia,United Nations
Arms for the Poor: G8 Gun Sales to Impoverished Countries
6 July 2005
Age (Melbourne)
UNITED STATES — The dominant player in the international arms trade, delivering $205 billion of conventional weapons between 1996 and 2003. Though US law prevents exports to countries with human rights violations, America has recently equipped forces in Colombia, Israel, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The development agencies' report (see main story) said big and persistent concerns remained over the human rights record of all of those... (GunPolicy.org)
TV Asahi Hit for Biased Report on Fugitive
15 February 2005
Japan Times
The Kobe District Court handed Miki Nishimura a suspended three-year sentence and 1 million yen fine on Jan. 25 for violating the Firearms and Sword Possession Control Law and Customs Law.
She was arrested in July 2003 for allegedly helping Kozo Wada smuggle guns. Wada is a Japanese resident of the United States who is now a fugitive and on a Hyogo Prefectural Police wanted list.
Nishimura's sentence was suspended for four years.
Wada had been exporting disabled... (GunPolicy.org)
TV Asahi Hit for Biased Report on Fugitive
15 February 2005
Japan Times
TV Asahi's "Hodo Station" news show featured a story last fall on the smuggling of guns into Japan, focusing in part on Kozo Wada, a fugitive who had been arrested and tried in the United States for unlicensed possession and exportation of guns to Japan.
But according to lawyer Seiichiro Onuki, the Oct. 11 show effectively misquoted a key witness and thus was biased heavily against Wada — a charge TV Asahi has denied.
In December, Onuki twice sent complaints to TV... (GunPolicy.org)
Smuggled Gun Gets Ex-Actor 3yrs in Prison
9 February 2005
Japan Times / Kyodo
OSAKA — A former child actor known for his role in a popular samurai film in the 1970s was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison for smuggling a handgun into Japan from Thailand.
The ruling handed down against 36-year-old Akihiro Tomikawa by the Tokyo District Court fell short of the prosecutors' demand by one year. He faced charges including violation of the Firearm and Sword Control Law.
Tomikawa played Daigoro, son of the leading character in the film... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Face Complaint for Letting Killer Have Shotgun
10 January 2005
Japan Times / Kyodo
UTSUNOMIYA, Tochigi Prefecture — Family members of the victims in a deadly shooting will file a criminal complaint Tuesday against police officers and the chief of the Tochigi Prefecture public safety commission, claiming they allowed the killer to own a shotgun without full inspection, according to sources.
Kimiko Tanaka, 60, and another woman were shot by a neighbor in Utsunomiya in July 2002. Tanaka died and the other woman was injured. The shooter killed... (GunPolicy.org)
North Korea Sold Arms to Moro Extremists
3 January 2005
Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan)
North Korea sold more than 10,000 rifles and other weapons in 1999 and 2000 to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the largest pro-Al-Qaida extremist group in the Philippines, according to Southeast Asian security sources.
Between 1999 and 2002, North Korea also attempted to sell submersible vessels to the MILF, who are fighting for independence for Mindanao in the southern Philippines, the sources said.
North Korea's submersible infiltration craft are... (GunPolicy.org)
Control Arms Gun Control 'Faces' Campaign Launched
17 December 2004
Kyodo News (Japan)
A global campaign for the control of weapons worldwide will be launched in Japan on Saturday, organizers said Friday.
The Million Faces Petition is a visual petition — collecting "signatures" in the form of photos and self-portraits of the petitioners — intended to show concern about the proliferation and misuse of arms around the world and urge governments to take action on tougher arms control.
It is part of the Control Arms campaign begun worldwide in October... (GunPolicy.org)
Our Ban on Gun Exports Leads the World, Says Inoguchi
20 September 2004
Asahi Shimbun (Japan), Opinion
Japan has firmly stood by its three principles of arms exports that conform to the fundamental philosophy of the Constitution-one worthy of a peaceful nation.
But to meet new developments, the government has expressed exceptional cases in the form of comments by chief Cabinet secretaries. Examples include the provision of weapons technology to the United States for security reasons and the transfer of devices to remove antipersonnel land mines from a humanitarian... (GunPolicy.org)
Americans Should Curb Spread of WMDs in Their Own Country
20 September 2004
Japan Times, Opinion
LONDON — The failure of Congress to renew a 10-year ban on the sale of assault rifles and other dangerous weapons may seem to politicians a simple price to pay to win the support of the National Rifle Association in the forthcoming presidential election.
This powerful lobby is backing the re-election of President George W. Bush and considers bans on the sale of such weapons to be an infringement of the constitutional right of American citizens to bear arms. This is... (GunPolicy.org)
Accused Gun Smuggler Fails to Appear in Court
4 September 2004
Associated Press
PORTLAND, Oregon — A half-dozen Japanese reporters and news crews were stationed at the U.S. District Courthouse here, waiting for the arrival of a Beaverton man scheduled to return to Japan to face gun-smuggling charges.
But Kozo Wada, 45, never showed.
Chris Schatz, an assistant federal defender who is representing Wada, speculated Thursday this his client fled because he feared returning to Japan. Schatz said the prospect of being held in a Japanese jail without... (GunPolicy.org)
Student Imports Thai Gun to Commit Suicide
26 August 2004
Mainichi Shimbun (Japan)
OSAKA — A woman charged with importing a gun from Thailand has told police that she wanted to commit suicide in front of her mother because she couldn't forgive her for remarrying.
"I couldn't forgive my mother because she remarried without consulting me and her attitude suddenly became cold," Sachiyo Nakanishi, was quoted as telling Osaka Prefectural Police and customs officials.
"I thought I'd commit suicide in front of her eyes," added the 21-year-old... (GunPolicy.org)
Fourth Among Gun Importers, Says Small Arms Survey
1 July 2004
Kyodo News (Japan)
GENEVA — Japan was the world's fourth largest small arms importer in 2001 after the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Cyprus, with $151 million worth of imports of items mainly for the Self-Defense Forces, according to a study released by a Geneva-based institute Wednesday.
The study titled "Small Arms Survey 2004: Rights at Risk" by the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva also showed that Japan ranked ninth among countries exporting nonmilitary small weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Vast Budget Fuels Huge Arms Industry
20 June 2004
Japan Times
Deep in the heart of Aichi Prefecture is the headquarters of an engineering company founded 100 years ago to make textile looms. Having borne the name Howa Machinery, Ltd. since 1945, today its products range from window frames to road-sweepers — but it also derives around 12 percent of its business from weapons sales. In fact, 2004 marks the 40th year since its Type 64 rifle and 81mm mortar were selected by the Defense Agency for use by the Self-Defense Forces.
That... (GunPolicy.org)
Spontaneous Poll in Park: Would You Use a Gun?
20 February 2004
Japan Today
Japan Today's Sachie Kanda dropped into Hibiya Park to ask: If Japanese public security gets worse in future, how would you like to protect yourself? Would you use a gun?
Taro Tanaka, 23
"If someone threatens me on the street late at night, I'll beat the crap out of him with a sharp karate kick. I've been learning karate for eight years. I know I can protect myself in that kind of situation. For people who don't know karate, it might be a good idea for them to have a... (GunPolicy.org)
Concern Over Gun Sales Through Internet
12 February 2004
Xinhua
TOKYO — More than a quarter of illegal guns seized by Japanese police last year were traded through Internet, the National Police Agency said Thursday.
The police confiscated 785 guns in 2003, up 38 from the previous year. Of the seizures, a record number of 201 were bought via Internet, the agency said, adding people without gang affiliations are having easier access to weapons.
The number of shooting cases stood at 139 last year, down 19 from the previous year,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Enthusiasts Drive Booming Illegal Gun Trade
12 February 2004
Mainichi Shimbun (Japan)
The number of handguns police seized from online traders has shot up by nearly 75 percent in 2003 from the corresponding figure a year before, a National Police Agency (NPA) report has shown.
The report published on Thursday also revealed that gun enthusiasts have clearly overtaken members of gang organizations as the number one customers in the illegal gun trade. A total of 785 pistols were confiscated in Japan and 451 of them, or 57.5 percent, were seized from... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Turns Gun on Self After Shooting 2 Policemen
1 February 2004
Mainichi Daily News (Japan)
KOBE — A man fatally shot himself in the head on a street here after shooting two policemen answering an emergency call, officers said.
A local resident in Sayo, Hyogo Prefecture, made the call to local police at about 11:30 p.m., Saturday, saying, "There's a man here with a gun."
The two police officers from the Sayo Police Station rushed to the scene — in front of a restaurant owned by the man's ex-wife — when the man shot at them.
He then put the gun to his... (GunPolicy.org)
Clinton Discusses Gun Control With Parents of Boy Slain in US
20 November 2003
Kyodo News
NAGOYA — Former U.S President Bill Clinton on Wednesday met with the parents of a Japanese high school exchange student who was shot dead in Louisiana in 1992, their first reunion since they met 10 years ago at the White House.
Clinton, who has actively sought stricter gun controls since the incident, chatted with the boy's parents, Masaichi and Mieko Hattori. Clinton visited the Hattoris after delivering a lecture at Aichi Gakuin University in Nisshin, Aichi... (GunPolicy.org)
Guardian Angels to Promote No Gun Campaign at Roppongi
27 October 2003
Japan Today
TOKYO — The Alliance of Guardian Angels, Inc (www.guardianangels.or.jp) will hold a "Stop Guns Caravan" campaign for the 9th time at Roppongi Hills Arena on Nov 11.
The campaign aims to eradicate gun crimes which are on the increase in Japan. The theme of the campaign is "No! Guns 2003 in Roppongi Hills," and is being supported by Mori Building Co, Ltd.
There will be short videos promoting "No! Guns" at 200 places inside Roppongi Hills. A special event will be held... (GunPolicy.org)
Japanese Gun Dealer in US on Wanted List for Smuggling
1 August 2003
Mainichi Daily News (Japan)
A Japanese gun shop owner in the United States has been placed on a police wanted list in Japan for smuggling weapons into the country through Internet sales, police said.
The man, Kozo Wada, 44, is accused of violating the Swords and Firearms Control Law by selling items from his store in Oregon to collectors in Japan.
A search of Wada's family home in Yao, Osaka, reportedly uncovered a machine gun and six handguns.
Police said Wada appeared to have sold items to... (GunPolicy.org)
Assemblyman Under Fire for Using Rifle to Scare Off Birds
31 July 2003
Mainichi Shimbun (Japan)
TOKUSHIMA, Japan — A local assembly member who used a rifle to save small fish in a rice paddy in Tokushima Prefecture from herons has been arrested for violating firearms laws, police said.
The man, Koei Kawatsu, 56, a vice chairman of the Yasugi Municipal Assembly was arrested on suspicion of violating the Swords and Firearms Control Law and the Explosives Control Law after he allegedly fired shots into a flooded paddy on Wednesday. He has reportedly admitted to... (GunPolicy.org)
Japanese Envoy Harnesses Arms Campaign to Boost United Nations
2 July 2003
Reuters
UNITED NATIONS — A Japanese diplomat, concerned the United Nations may be weakened by go-it-alone diplomacy like the U.S.-led war on Iraq, hopes her leadership of a U.N. crackdown on the small arms trade will show multilateralism can still work.
"We are at a diplomatic crossroads as to how a multinational institution can serve and make the world a safer place," said Japanese Ambassador Kuniko Inoguchi, who will chair a weeklong U.N. conference opening on Monday and... (GunPolicy.org)
Authorities Complain Over Armed US Soldier Wandering Around
3 June 2003
Kyodo News
NAHA, Japan — Japanese authorities filed an unofficial protest with the U.S. military on Monday, a day after a U.S. military police officer was found toting a rifle outside the U.S. Kadena Air Force Base, prompting a promise by the U.S. military to stop the practice.
The public affairs office of the Kadena Air Force Base later issued a statement saying while U.S. military police are allowed under the status-of-forces agreement to carry firearms while on official... (GunPolicy.org)
Toyshop Owners Nabbed for Powering Up Pop Guns
13 May 2003
Mainichi Daily News (Japan)
TSU, Kobe — Two men were arrested Tuesday for manufacturing homemade guns and selling them at their toyshop in Kobe, police said.
Junichi Tanaka, manager of the "Paradise" toy retailer, and his employer Shogo Yasuda, were arrested on charges of illegally manufacturing firearms. "I just wanted to make powerful guns," Tanaka reportedly told police. Two of their clients were also busted as police seized eight zip guns.
Police said Tanaka, of Yumesaki, Hyogo Prefecture,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gov't to Crack Down on Internet Trading of Firearms
26 April 2003
Kyodo News
TOKYO — The government decided Friday to tighten the crackdown on Internet trading of firearms as the centerpiece of its firearms control program for fiscal 2003, which began in April.
A Cabinet Office task force chaired by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda will focus on Net arms trafficking as 115 guns traded over the Internet were seized in Japan in fiscal 2002, a roughly fourfold increase from fiscal 2001, the officials... (GunPolicy.org)
Ambassador Calls Small Arms "De Facto Weapons of Mass Destruction"
23 April 2003
Reuters
OSLO — The world must do more to curb illicit trade in small arms that have become "de facto weapons of mass destruction," killing hundreds of thousands of people a year, a disarmament expert said on Wednesday.
Kuniko Inoguchi, Japan's ambassador to the Geneva-based Conference on Disarmament, said that despite the high death toll, the illicit trade was getting less attention than the alleged chemical and biological arms that were President Bush's main reason for... (GunPolicy.org)
Use of Firearms by Police Doubles in 2002
3 April 2003
Kyodo News
TOKYO — The number of incidents involving the use of police firearms more than doubled in 2002, jumping from 26 cases in the previous year to 54, the highest in the past five years, the National Police Agency (NPA) said Thursday.
In a report presented to the National Public Safety Commission, the NPA said police officers actually fired their guns in 30 cases and pointed their guns at suspects in 24 cases.
The firing killed two suspects and injured nine others, but... (GunPolicy.org)
NPA Survey Shows Increase in Firearms Use by Police Officers
3 April 2003
Daily Yomiuri (Japan)
The number of cases in which police officers discharged their handguns in self-defense or for other reasons totaled 30 last year, 1.8 times higher than the previous year's 17 cases, the National Police Agency said Thursday.
Of that number, 10 incidents involved shots fired at suspects, marking a twofold increase from 2001. During 2002, two suspects were killed and nine were injured by police officers' gunshots, including warning shots.
Four police officers received... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan Soaks Up Anti-Gun Message
12 March 2003
International Herald Tribune
TOKYO — Celebrity-packed casts, fantastic plots and glossy Hollywood effects are usually what draw crowds to movie theaters in Japan. So it might come as something of a surprise that one of the most talked about movies in Tokyo these days is a documentary about the United States' social problems.
The movie is "Bowling for Columbine," Michael Moore's look at guns, racism and fear in contemporary America. As in Europe, critics in Japan have enthusiastically praised... (GunPolicy.org)
Bidding a Farewell to Arms in Japan
25 February 2003
Japan Times
When a bullet strikes the car in which one is riding, the sound — a sharp, metallic "WHAP!" — is unmistakable. This writer has heard it twice in his life, and I hope the second time will be the last.
Not all of my experiences with firearms have been like that. My dad, an army officer, gave me a Remington .22 caliber rifle for my eighth birthday. He taught me how to load, aim and shoot, and instructed me in gun safety. So I never shot myself. Or anybody else.
Guns... (GunPolicy.org)
Parents of Japanese Boy Killed in US Receive Volunteer Award
3 December 2002
Kyodo News
NAGOYA — The parents of a Japanese boy shot dead while studying in the United States 10 years ago received an award Tuesday from the American Field Service (AFS) Intercultural Programs for their volunteer service in promoting cultural understanding.
Masaichi Hattori, 55, and his wife Mieko, 54, became the first Japanese to receive the Galatti Award, which is an international award and the highest commendation granted annually by AFS.
After their son Yoshihiro was... (GunPolicy.org)
US Marine Gets Suspended Term for Smuggling Gun
21 November 2002
Japan Today / Kyodo
NAHA — The Naha District Court sentenced a U.S. Marine stationed at Camp Hansen in Okinawa Prefecture to a three-year prison term, suspended for four years, on Thursday for smuggling a handgun into Japan.
Prosecutors had demanded a three-year prison term.
Presiding Judge Soichi Hayashida said in handing down the ruling on Lance Corporal Preston Earl, "The crime is serious but the defendant had no intention of actually using the gun or to sell it but only intended to... (GunPolicy.org)
