Gun control: Japan has it right

[derby378]

129. As I understand it, here's the whole process for owning a gun in Japan

Here's the scoop:

Step 1 - If a Japanese civilian of at least 20 years of age decides to seek out a firearm, she must sign up to attend a lecture on gun regulations for beginners, held once a month at her local police station. The lecture, which lasts for approximately three hours, is followed by a written examination with 20 questions; she must get at least 14 of them right to obtain a certificate that is valid for three years.

Step 2 - The prospective gun owner must supply her local police station with her employment history and all residences over the past 10 years, along with a roster of everyone who lives at her residence and a quick summary of her family history. Police will determine if she is seeking a firearm for hunting or competitive shooting. No other reasons for gun ownership will be considered, including self-defense.

Step 3 - If she does not have it already, the prospective gun owner must obtain certification from a doctor that she does not use illegal or recreational drugs and that she has no preexisting physical or mental conditions that would disqualify her from owning a firearm. She must hand this certificate over to the police, as well as her written examination certificate.

Step 4 - Police will check out her family to see if she is related to any Yakuza or other "undesirables." Having one black sheep in her somewhat-immediate family could disqualify her from owning a gun.

Step 5 - After a minimum one-month waiting period (usually takes longer because of background checks on family), if she qualifies, the prospective gun owner will receive a call from her local police station to come and pick up her license booklet. It looks similar to a passport, and will feature the prospective gun owner's name, address, birthdate, license number, date of issue, and a photograph of the licensee on the front page.

Step 6 - The new licensee must have a specially-designed gun safe installed somewhere in her home. The key to the safe must be hidden somewhere very secure, and not even her family should have access to the key. Police, on the other hand, may require that she provide them with a map of her home indicating where the key and the gun safe are located, and reserve the right to inspect her gun and gun safe with adequate prior notification.

Step 7 - The licensee must take a shooting class at an approved gun range, following by another examination. This stage is supposed to be fairly easy to pass.

Step 8 - After all of the prerequisites are satisfied, the certificates are approved, the safe is purchased, and the license booklet is deemed valid, our new licensee may finally head down to an approved gun shop and purchase...

...a single-shot, break-action shotgun.

Wheeeeee.

Step 9 - Time for our new gun owner to purchase some buckshot for that shotgun. Unfortunately, this requires a separate permit, and ammunition must be stored in a separate safe from that used to house the shotgun.

Wasn't that fun?

Step 10 (Optional) - Steps 1-9 must be repeated in order to gain legal possession of a pistol or rifle, along with mandatory membership in Japan's version of the NRA. The only difference is that rifles and pistols may not be kept at home, and must be stored at a firing range unless transported with permission from the government (for example, to a shooting competition).

Now, contrast the Japanese process for legally obtaining a break-action shotgun with the American process for legally obtaining the same type of gun:

My dad gave me one.