Japanese gun regulations explained by a Japanese gun owner:
"There are many people who believe that Japanese shooters at Olympics
are policemen or soldiers of Self-Defense Force. Some other people believe
that Japanese citizen cannot own guns and people who enjoy shooting have to
rent guns at shooting range, and some other people believes that legal
gun owners must keep guns in lockers assigned for them at shooting ranges.
So, I decided to write short introductory article about gun ownership in Japan.
In Japan, the kind of guns owned by civilian are as follows.
Air Rifle
Hand Rifle
Rifle
Air Pistol (limited to 500 people for sports shooting only)
Pistol (limited to 50 people for sport shooting only)
Shot gun
The purpose to own guns is limited to two, i.e., hunting or sports shooting.
It means we cannot own guns for defense purpose.
The procedure to own the gun is as follows.
Of course, people who use guns in their work (policemen, soldiers, etc.)
don't have to follow the following step for guns used in the job.
The terminology about 'air gun', 'air rifle' follow Japanese custom.
Participation in a lecture at nearby police station
------------------------------------------------------
This is a requisite condition for anyone who tries to own gun.
You go to the police station which is responsible for your address area, and
apply for the lecture on gun regulation for beginners. In case of Tokyo,
entire districts are divided into four blocks, and the actual place to have
the lecture is one police station in the block.
The lecture for beginner is held once in a month, I think.
The lecture starts at 9:00 in Saturday morning, and written examination
follows after lunch. To 20 questions, you have to give at least 14
correct answers. When I had this lecture, two or three people did not
pass among 32 or 33 attendance. This performance was high because usually
80 % of attendants pass the examination. After passing the examination,
a certificate is given and its copy must be submitted whenever you do some
application afterwards. The certificate is valid three years. It means,
after the valid date of the certification, you have to attend a lecture
for gun owners to get the new certificate. This time, no examination is
done.
Air rifle, hand rifle, and shot gun
-------------------------------------
Once you get the certificate of the gun regulation lecture, there are two
different paths depending on what you want to own. Note that you cannot
apply for usual rifles nor pistols at this stage. To own them, you need
further qualification.
A. Air rifle or hand rifle.
People who are not familiar with gun confuses air rifle from
'air soft gun' (or simply 'air gun') which uses plastic bullet and
whose barrel does not have rifling.
In fact, recently it was reported on TV that some members of AUM camped
near by Mt. Fuji and did some military training using 'air rifle' of
AK 47. This report was not correct. What they used must be air soft
gun shaped like AK 47 or model gun of AK 47.
Hand rifle is unique to Japan. It is actually air pistol, but long
sleeve covers the barrel, and long stock is attached to the grip.
In Japan, ownership of pistol (air or not) is restricted because of
their small size which enables covered transportation. Therefore,
hand rifle was introduced for people who plan to own air hand gun
eventually.
If you want to own air rifle or hand rifle, you can go to a gun shop
with certificate to show to clerks, determine which gun to buy, ask
clerks to write a paper which describe the detail of the gun, and name of
the shop. When you buy a gun not from a shop but from a current owner,
the same paper is needed.
You must be at least 18 years old, or, you need to be over 14
years old and have recommendatory letter from an organization which
governs all official sports organizations.
B. Shot gun.
Prior to go to gun shop, you have to take practical shooting course,
followed by examination. To apply for it, you have to submit a lot
of papers to the police, and it takes a few months until you get the
approval because you and your family who live together are examined.
After the approval, you have the course at a shooting range and pass
it (it is quite easy). Then, you go to a gun shop, determine the gun
to buy, and ask clerks to write the paper.
You need to be at least 20 years old.
After applying for any gun, usually it takes about one month until you get
permission. When you get notification from the police about permission,
you go to the police station to receive license booklet, take it to the
gun shop and receive the gun. Then within two weeks, you have to go to
the police station again with the gun to have it inspected and stumped on
the license.
SB - Small Bore rifle (0.22 caliber, rim-fire)
------------------------------------------------
Since using of 0.22 caliber rifle (both rim-fire and center-fire) for
hunting is prohibited in Japan (probably small animals suitable as targets
of 0.22 caliber live not far from where people live), the only permitted
purpose to own it is for rifle shooting sports. The step to own Small Bore
(rim-fire) rifle is as follows.
A. Become a member of a branch of National Rifle Association of
Japan, then become a member of N.R.A.J. itself.
I my case, I became a member of Setagaya (one district in Tokyo) area
at first, which means automatic membership of Tokyo branch of N.R.A.J,
then had to wait one year until I was allowed become a member of N.R.A.J
it self. But this term differs with branches.
If you want to just enjoy air rifle, and have no interest in participating
in national wide shooting meet, to stay just as Tokyo branch's member
saves membership fee.
B. Participate in a few hour's lecture by N.R.A.J., and get certification.
C. Participate in at least two shooting meet per year before you apply for
SB.
D. Get certification of skill of shooting.
In case of shooting in Standing position, the score of criteria is
300 for S60, and 200 for S40. It is quite easy.
E. By satisfying above A,B,C,D, then you can apply for SB to N.R.A.J.
What you get if you pass the examination is recommendatory letter that
you are suitable for shooter of N.R.A.J., and have potential to become
a shooter for higher level competitions like Olympic.
F. Submit above letter as well as many other papers to the police station.
Like the case of shot gun, it takes a new months until the police
issues a permission to take shooting course in practice.
G. Take a practical shooting course at a shooting range, and get a
certification.
H. Apply for a gun to buy.
LB - Large Bore rifles (center-fire)
--------------------------------------
There are two purposes you can use LB, one is sports shooting under
control of N.R.A.J., and the other is hunting.
A. For rifle shooting as sports, the requisite to apply for it are
as follows.
a. It is over one year since you have owned a SB.
b. You have already participated in 2 shooting meet per year with SB.
You apply for recommendatory letter to N.R.A.J., and follow the similar
steps (without practice course in a shooting range) as SB.
It looks only bolt action rifles can be allowed.
B. For hunting purpose, you must have continuous 10 years' history to
have own shot gun or SB. You simply apply for a gun to the police
station.
Air pistol
------------
The requisite condition to apply for air pistol is almost the same
as SB except that certification of more skill in shooting is
required (in case of AR S60, score of over 510).
Since the number of owners of air pistol is limited up to 500,
you usually wait one year or more (it means you wait someone
fails to update the license) until you get recommendatory letter.
After getting recommendatory letter from N.R.A.J, follow the same
procedure as other kinds of guns to apply for the license.
Pistol
--------
To apply for pistol, you need quite excellent skill of air pistol
(in case of AP60, score of over 555) to apply for pistol.
This time, the number of people is limited to 50, but because of
so hard criteria, I heard two years ago that only 30 people owned it.
Permission for ammunition
---------------------------
Anybody can buy bullets for air rifle, hand rifle, and air pistol without
restraint. For ammunition which contains powder, you have to get
another paper from the police.
On the permission paper, based on which kind of guns you have, the kind
of ammunition gun shops can sell to the owner of guns are listed as well
as total maximum amount. This paper is valid for one year, and, if my
memory is correct, the maximum number of ammunition the police allow to
a paper is 4,000.
Because of the law, the maximum number of ammunition you can keep
at home is limited to 800, and you must keep them in a specially designed
locker which is different from gun locker."
