4,336
edits
Changes
→Gun Control and Crime
The Firearms Act opens by stating "No-one shall possess a fire-arm or fire-arms or a sword or swords" and there are very few exceptions to this rule.<ref>'Law Controlling Possession, Etc. of Fire-Arms and Swords' (1978), Law No 6, Art 3, EHS Law Bulletin Series, No 3920.</ref> The only firearm a Japanese citizen may own is a rifle or shotgun. Sportsmen are permitted to possess shotguns or rifles for hunting (hunting licenses are valid for 3 years) and for skeet and trap shooting, but only after a lengthy licensing procedure.<ref>'Law Controlling Possession, Etc. of Fire-Arms and Swords' (1978), Law No 6, Art 4-23</ref> Without a license, a person may not even hold a gun in their hands. Civilians may also apply for licenses to possess air rifles, but can never own handguns. In addition, the ownership of small calibre rifles was outlawed in 1971, and although current rifle license holders may continue to own them, their heirs must turn them into the police when the license-holder dies.
The Firearms Act opens by stating "No-one shall possess a fire-arm or fire-arms or a sword or swords" and there are very few exceptions to this rule.<ref>'Law Controlling Possession, Etc. of Fire-Arms and Swords' (1978), Law No 6, Art 3, EHS Law Bulletin Series, No 3920.</ref> The only firearm a Japanese citizen may own is a rifle or shotgun. Sportsmen are permitted to possess shotguns or rifles for hunting (hunting licenses are valid for 3 years) and for skeet and trap shooting, but only after a lengthy licensing procedure.<ref>'Law Controlling Possession, Etc. of Fire-Arms and Swords' (1978), Law No 6, Art 4-23</ref> Without a license, a person may not even hold a gun in their hands. Civilians may also apply for licenses to possess air rifles, but can never own handguns. In addition, the ownership of small calibre rifles was outlawed in 1971, and although current rifle license holders may continue to own them, their heirs must turn them into the police when the license-holder dies.
This has resulted in a tiny proportion of citizens owning guns privately (approximately 150 000 licenses in a population of 100 million <ref>0.6% of households, in a population of 100 million and assuming 4 people per household</ref>). However, gun-related crimes in Japan are also infrequent.
This has resulted in a tiny proportion of citizens owning guns privately (approximately 500,000 licenses in a population of 100 million <ref>493,000 shotgun and airgun licenses and 27,000 remaining rifle licenses in 1999</ref>). However, gun-related crimes in Japan are also infrequent.
===Licensing===
===Licensing===
The official Japanese police culture discourages the use of guns. Shooting at a fleeing suspect is unlawful under any circumstance and police and civilians can both be punished for any act of self-defense in which the harm caused was greater than the harm averted.<ref>''Keiho'' 刑法 (Japanese Penal Code), Art 37.</ref>
The official Japanese police culture discourages the use of guns. Shooting at a fleeing suspect is unlawful under any circumstance and police and civilians can both be punished for any act of self-defense in which the harm caused was greater than the harm averted.<ref>''Keiho'' 刑法 (Japanese Penal Code), Art 37.</ref>
However, the police are equally equipped with draconian powers to enforce the gun controls.
However, the police are equally equipped with draconian powers to enforce the gun controls.
==Enforcing the Law==
==Enforcing the Law==