Gun Control in Japan Provides no Questions Only Answers

    Faced daily with the shocking and tragic deaths caused by guns each year in the United States, I have considered what other countries do to minimize gun-related deaths each year. As only one example, Japan has adopted strict gun control laws which have proved to reduce the number of gun-related homicides in that country. In Japan no civilian may possess a firearm. There are a mere 0.07% intentional gun related homicides per 100,000 people in Japan compared to a staggering 13.47% per 100,000 people each year in the United States. I know that implementing a strict form of gun control and following a process of acquiring a gun permit similar to that which is done in Japan will reduce gun related deaths in the United States.
    The process of obtaining a permit would consist of the following: (1) shooting range classes will be provided, followed by a written test where the applicant must score in the 95th percentile; (2) a standard mental test will be administered to ensure the applicant is not suffering from a mental illness; (3) the applicant must then produce a medical certificate attesting that he or she is mentally healthy; (4) and the police have broad discretion to deny permits to any applicant who they feel would be at harm to society.   
    Many of those who oppose gun control will refer to the Second Amendment which states that it is the right of U.S citizens to bear a firearm. I’m confident that our Founding Fathers had our best interest in mind when they enacted that particular amendment, but over the past 200 years the seriousness of gun crime has increased. To ensure the “domestic tranquility” they so earnestly sought, it would be in the best interest of our nation to follow the Japanese form of gun control.

Alex


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