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© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019.Former defense minister shot near home in Iwate
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© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019.
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Aly Rustom
moonbloom, spot on!
moonbloom
Not only the mayor of Hiroshima, also the mayor of Nagasaki " in a brazen attack by a gangster who was apparently enraged that the city had refused to compensate him after his car was damaged at a public works construction site."
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/17/world/asia/17iht-nagasaki.5.5325169.html
In other words, they are always careful to fabricate excuses to deny it has anything to do with political motives that could lead to bigger questions being asked.
And yes, the mayor of Nagasaki was openly anti-nuke.
Concerning another incident discussed in the link posted above, "In 1990, Mayor Hitoshi Motoshima was shot and seriously wounded after saying that Japan's emperor, beloved by rightists, bore some responsibility for World War II."
Ex_Res
Wait, I thought guns were tightly controlled in Japan.
There have always been guns in Japan. I seem to remember the Mayor of Hiroshima was shot about 25 years ago.
Some of the old 1950's, 1960's black and white Japanese movies show criminals and gangsters with guns.
Gun law is tight though, which in my opinion is a good.
moonbloom
Educator60,
Your analysis fails to take into account a key component- the borrowed handgun (as noted by other posters, not a hunting rifle).
Try finding someone to borrow a handgun from someone in Iwate ken.
You will see what type of organization he belongs to.
moonbloom
He borrowed a handgun from a "friend" and was disgruntled over the result of an election...not so hard to put together, especially as farmers have traditionally been a core constituency for the LDP.
kiwi07
Thanks for adding that info, it changes the setup completely. It appeared at first that it was a disgruntled farmer with his licensed hunting/pest control shotgun. Then I read in a Japanese report that he had borrowed the gun from a friend, which seemed odd. Given the strict criteria for owning licensed guns in Japan, I couldn't imagine anyone simply loaning out their licensed shotgun to a friend. Although given the harsh penalties for owning an illegal handgun and ammunition, it's still amazing that any friend would loan one out.
showchinmono
ROFL. Yep seems the type of organization he belonged to was the same high school.
nandakandamanda
Since it was a handgun that he used, according to this news, it was probably illegally owned by the person he had borrowed it from. Such guns do exist in Japan, but they are usually hidden away in strictest secrecy.
The beef itself was over a sum of 10 million yen loaned but never returned apparently. Takahashi had taken Tamazawa (former Agriculture and former Defense Minister) to court in 2014 but had lost the case.
https://www.kahoku.co.jp/tohokunews/201912/20191211_33019.html
Hervé L'Eisa
At his advanced age, a threat of life in prison isn't much of a deterrent, is it.
Aly Rustom
Very Very True
moonbloom
excellent post sir!
Thank you, appreciate it.
Certain organizations are keen on insuring that the LDP remain in power, and view intimidation as a valid tactic.
Aly Rustom
well said chip!
excellent post sir!
nedotjp
moonbloom
Guns ARE tightly regulated and controlled for the average citizen.
What needs one's attention is the fact that the victim worked for Prime Minister Murayama's administration.
Murayama was the leader of the Socialist Party (they changed their name to Social Democratic Party), and did things like apologize for the comfort women, which implicated that the Emperor did less than exemplary things during the war.
So that should clarify what type of organization the shooter belongs to, if one knows anything about post-war politics in Japan.
If not, one can research what happened to the leader of the Socialist Party in 1960. His name was Asanuma.
Strangerland
They are. You aren't silly enough to think this incident disproves that, are you?
Chip Star
Just because something is tightly controlled doesn’t mean people cannot possess that item.
Firearms are tightly controlled in Japan; however, with the proper training and permits people are allowed to own firearms for hunting and target shooting.
oldman_13
Wait, I thought guns were tightly controlled in Japan.