crime

Japan creates its first law requiring permits for crossbow possession

20 Comments
By Casey Baseel, SoraNews24

Japan’s House of Representatives held a plenary session on June 8, and the days discussions of matters of national legislative importance eventually turned to crossbows.

Surprisingly, despite spelling out rules and regulations regarding all sorts of weaponry, Japan’s Firearm and Sword Control Law apparently had no preexisting rules, specifically no specific ordinances, relating to crossbows, of either the two-handed or single-handed pistol crossbow/bow gun variety, perhaps because crossbows are technically neither firearms or swords. As a result, up to now there’s been no specific licensing required for their possession or use. Much like in a fantasy role-playing video game, if you had enough money to pay for a crossbow, you could buy one and use it as you personally saw fit.

That’ll be changing soon, though, as the House of Representatives passed a motion to amend the Firearm and Sword Control Law, and once it goes into effect Japanese residents will need a permit from their Prefectural Public Safety Commission in order to possess a crossbow. The requirement is modeled after one already in place for air rifle ownership, which requires the completion of safety classes and for the owner to be at least 18 years of age.

As to why the Japanese government didn’t sort out crossbow regulations back in the feudal era, the weapons were never particularly common in Japan, and modern firearms have already been strictly regulated for some time. However, according to Japan’s National Police Agency, crossbows/bow guns were involved in 37 reported crimes that took place between 2010 and 2020, 16 of which were murders or attempted murders, including the killing of four people in Hyogo Prefecture in June of 2020.

Along with requiring permits for crossbow ownership, the new law will officially restrict their use to a limited range of specified activities, such as sport target shooting in a securable environment or necessary tranquilizing of wild animals. The regulations are expected to go into effect next March.

Source: Dmenu News via Otakomu

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© SoraNews24

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20 Comments
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Japan creates its first law requiring permits for crossbow possession

In Japan you need to have registration for your bicycle, it just matter of time you'll be required to have crossbow possession.

crossbows/bow guns were involved in 37 reported crimes that took place between 2010 and 2020, 16 of which were murders or attempted murders, including the killing of four people in Hyogo Prefecture in June of 2020.

That 37 being carried by some fractions of millions from whole Japan's citizen, even after it's being regulated there will other means to carry violence crime.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

They can quickly(?) enact a crossbow law but still NO ‘National Sexual Offender/Predators Database?

“these weapons were never particularly common in Japan, However, according to Japan’s NPA, crossbows/bow guns were involved in 37 reported crimes that took place between 2010 and 2020” -

And the number of sexual assaults, assaults against children, child pornography, etc is…?

Where are the priorities of a ‘real’ government?

10 ( +13 / -3 )

The writer does a good job of ‘simplifying and equating things’:

“Much like in a fantasy role-playing video game, if you had enough money to pay for a crossbow, you could buy one and use it as you personally saw fit.” -

… for a ‘limited’ audience

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Plus, Japan’s proliferation of currently active & gainfully-employed working “ninja” will have to now have to register their blowguns and pay their share of taxes into the economy. Seems only fair with “all their sneaking around”.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Crossbows are just as deadly as a Pistol, even more deadly since it makes little sound! surprised Japan did not have a laws yet??

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Shouldn't these be called "trans-bows"?

The new terminology is SO confusing!!

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

The world of gamers has created fantastical weapons, but some of the new crossbows are vicious instruments, and so too these modern catapults with laser sights, etc.

Sadly, (the human condition) some bored people are tempted to try them out on animals.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I have been living here long enough to know, that such laws are very vague here. It will explicitly say crossbow, so someone will modify it slightly and say it is not a crosbow anymore.

Instead of dealing with minor issues, they could rather focus on the sex offender registry and sexually motivated crimes in general. Because, I'm almost certain that there are fewer crossbow crimes per year in all of Japan than there are sexually motivated offenses in here. But yeah, those dinosaurs rather pretend to be busy than changing something that makes chikan pretty much not illegal.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Yes, if you insist @ThomasTank 8:56am, a “Trans’ Bow” is ‘a thing’:

*- “The All NEW “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power” producer Noelle Stevenson explains that the archery master, “Bow” is trans, to represent diversity and inclusion.” - “Girls can now have very diverse, weapon-wielding, ‘role models’, including trans-gender.” *

Just make sure your daughters’ and sons’ weapons are authorized and registered according to these “All NEW’ Japanese laws.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

according to Japan’s National Police Agency, crossbows/bow guns were involved in 37 reported crimes that took place between 2010 and 2020,

wow, so fewer than four crimes a year. in a country of 125,000,000. sounds like they really need to crack down. Forget the white collar fraud, embezzlement and bribery. It's crossbows that's the problem.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

They seem to have been used more against animals than people. There have been many accounts of cats, dogs and ducks being wounded by crossbow attacks.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I have just tried to find out if a bow and arrow requires a licence, It seems that you dont, bows and arrows are just as deadly as a cross bow, so will they have to start regulating bows and arrows?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

MarkToday  08:35 am JST

Crossbows are just as deadly as a Pistol, even more deadly since it makes little sound! surprised Japan did not have a laws yet??

No they are not. While they can obviously kill silently, they are not as concealable as a Pistol and being single shot with redrawing time, nowhere near as deadly as a Semi Automatic pistol with a 10-15 round magazine. Not even a 5-6 round revolver.

That said, They certainly should be regulated in Japan. Meantime, Japan should allow for Bowhunting with longbows/compounds.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

It never ceases to amaze me how Japanese laws can have such blind spots and loop holes, it is clear that a crossbow is not a particularly dangerous weapon compared with guns, but since they are not exactly multipurpose tools that everybody needs on a daily basis (like knifes) a simple registration system would seem a natural step.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The All NEW “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power” producer Noelle Stevenson explains that the archery master, “Bow” is trans, to represent diversity and inclusion.” - “Girls can now have very diverse, weapon-wielding, ‘role models’, including trans-gender.” *

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

"She-Ra"

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Pretty sure where I live you have to be a disabled hunter to get a crossbow.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

So if I understand from the posts above, bow-and-arrows (archery) and blow guns are still unregulated in Japan?

Only until there are 37 crimes in an eleven-year period, and then they will be restricted too?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

How about for the more powerful Long Bow ?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Maybe I was a bit quick off the mark on that one.... I guess I am a bit out of date on that one... since my Long Bow experience is older than 20 years ago, though it was a heavy pounder requiring a long pull...

https://www.realtree.com/brow-tines-and-backstrap/how-deadly-are-modern-crossbows

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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