Daily Times

The assassination of Japan’s former Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, is a moment of concern for the safety and security of world leaders – those who are in government and those who have served. Video footage of the assassination shows how easily the assailant attacked Abe while he was addressing a public gathering. The ballistic briefcase – a bulletproof shield used by the aide to protect the dignitary – did not deploy in time. If Abe was not safe in Japan, then one cannot ascertain the safety of any world leader across the world. He served as the Prime Minister of Japan for two eras. First, from September 26, 2006, to September 26, 2007, and later from December 26, 2012, to September 16, 2020. The Former Prime Minister – the longest-serving in modern Japan – was campaigning for the parliamentary elections. He was 67.

Japan has remained a weapons-free country with strict restrictions on political violence that have been non-existent. Abe was assassinated in Nara., the capital city of Nara Prefecture. The police arrested a 41-year-old man. Reports claim that the attacker used a homemade gun. If one man can make a gun at home, then this may signal the beginning of a rebellion by those having violent intent.

Japan has the lowest instances of gun crime in the world. This stems from its rigid laws of gun ownership. Just imagine that in 2018, Japan with a population of 124 million people, reported only nine deaths caused by firearms. In the same year, the United States reported nearly 39,700 deaths, according to the Sydney School of Public Health at the University of Sydney.

Japan has the lowest instances of gun crime in the world. This stems from its rigid laws of gun ownership.

Japanese opine that this incident of violence may change the Japanese cultural fabric forever. According to Nancy Snow, Japan director of the International Security Industrial Council, “It’s not only rare, but it’s really culturally unfathomable. The Japanese people can’t imagine having a gun culture like we have in the United States. This is a speechless moment. I really feel at a loss for words.”

As per the current firearms law implemented in letter and spirit across Japan, handgun ownership is banned. Only air rifles and shotguns are to be owned through a proper permit. Owing such a weapon is not easy. The buyer must pass a firearm license process, which includes a full-day class on handling the weapon and passing a written test. In addition, the buyer needs to pass a test at the shooting range with a precision of at least 95 per cent. They have to pass a drug test and need to have their mental health evaluated. Their personal debt and their relationships with friends and family are checked. Furthermore, their criminal record is thoroughly scrutinized and verified. The buyer must inform the police of the storage details of their gun and ammunition. The police inspect the gun once a year and the owner of the weapon has to renew the license by giving the same test every three years.

This rigorous process of testing and owning a weapon in Japan is to be followed by everyone. This is why only 377,000 guns were owned by Japanese citizens in 2017. The last incident of public shooting in Japan took place in 2007. The then mayor of Nagasaki, Iccho Ito, as shot at the back. He suffered a cardiac arrest. The government implemented strict rules since then with severe punishments. Perhaps the government needs to re-think its gun control strategy in light of the recent assassination.

The writer is an independent researcher, author and columnist