Japan's 1st regulations on crossbow owners passed in Hyogo Prefecture

Yes because we all know that once you register your crossbow at the city office, it will never be used in a crime.

And the purpose of registering is just to say that the prefecture knows x amount of people have crossbows???

Yes registering your Cross Bow makes it impotent.

Next up: Hyogo resorts to blow darts and catapults.

Why they even sell crossbows they are not essential to life at all unless your hungry and hunting for food

What about forks. I read a year or two ago about a fork murder.

@oxycodin. Archery is a traditional cultural and sporting pastime in japan for centuries.

Really. Another knee-jerk law in total disproportionate response to the low number of crimes committed. If one has murderous intent, it's going to happen anyway; the tools for the crime are chosen for expediency.

Like in the US over fire-arms ownership and killing, quite many deadly cases happen by accident. I think the same is true for crossbow in Japan, find the regulation swift and reasonable. Otherwise, just move to another town.

A ¥50,000 fine seems quite insignificant compared to the damage that can be done with a crossbow.

Owning a "thing" that can kill, OK but I'd like a stringent process. That means the weird man down the street can't own more than a kitchen knife. And if I'm viewed as weird me too. I don't need a killing weapon. Who does except those Who are weird enough to want to kill people.. And I like guns, have no use for them. So don't have one. So happy no Americans are in my street.

So is this going to be enforced as well as the law requiring ID when buying containers of gasoline and kerosene which was enacted after the Manga Studio arson?

The ordinance, believed to set the first regulations in Japan on crossbow owners, requires residents to report ownership of the bow-like weapon to the prefectural government or face a fine of up to 50,000 yen.

I agree with posters above. Just because a crossbow is registered, it doesn't mean it will never be used in a crime.

The law requires registration to an owner and address. Are there any restrictions on ownership? Can a crossbow be removed from a person if they commit other crimes? Is there punishment for the owner if someone else uses their lost, stolen or borrowed bow in a crime?

There are a few arguments to support registration. If a registered crossbow has been used in a crime, and is found at the scene, the owner can be quickly traced. Also, owners of registered crossbows will be much more likely to take steps to keep them out of the wrong hands and less likely to allow others to use them. Further, if a registered owner commits any other type of violent crime, their weapon could be confiscated. Finally, society internalises laws and norms over time and individuals become less likely to go against them. A lot of the same arguments for gun registration, really.

Finally, society internalises laws and norms over time and individuals become less likely to go against them

Sorry, no edit function. Please disregard that point.

Well this will certainly help track down all those mysterious crossbow killers out there, except, (checking) there aren't any.

Right. They've all been found.

Another question; do the bolts also require registration? Anyways, regarding Japan, hasn't happened doesn't equal won't happen. Elsewhere, mysterious crossbow-related crime is not unheard of.

BERLIN — The shock of the rare burst of violence was multiplied by its odd circumstances: In a picturesque and normally placid little German city, three bodies lay in a hotel room, each one killed with a crossbow.

More than 300 miles away, another gruesome discovery made the case still more confounding. Searching the home of one of the three people who had died in the hotel, the police found two more bodies.

The German authorities are now trying to piece together a mystery that has attracted international attention for the unconventional weapon used and the lack of clear motive or motives behind five deaths ...

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/14/world/europe/germany-crossbow.html

Police responding to a report of a stabbing - which allegedly took place around 12pm local time at a Toronto home - were stunned to find a woman and two men dead with crossbow bolts in their bodies.

Two other men were injured in the attack; one of them was arrested at the scene. A crossbow was found on the floor of the garage close to the victims.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/canada-three-found-dead-following-013013438.html?

Completely crazy. You must of course register and check or take care of the deadly arrows, not the bows.

Elsewhere, mysterious crossbow-related crime is not unheard of.

So you advocate basically registering every last thing that can be used as a weapon with the government, or only the things you can find used in a completely oddball case, even if the weapon of choice could have been replaced with just about anything?

With the case in Germany there is no way a single person could kill 3 people in one room with a crossbow unless he first drugged them all or they came in one at a time with plenty of time between entrances. The killer probably had a gang holding these people down. He could have done the same with a knife, and ice pick, a baseball bat or a sturdy pointed stick.

Have you ever noticed that most attacks in this country are done with knives? This is like ignoring a mountain in your path to scorn a molehill on it.

So SAD the Japan does not have a "Second Amendment" like the USA. Now pretty soon Crossbows will be illegal or so controlled by over regulation it will be almost impossible to even get/have one.

Then, only criminals will have them (like hand guns in Japan).

Oh well, it's Japan's laws to make and citizens to rule.

So you advocate basically registering every last thing that can be used as a weapon with the government, or only the things you can find used in a completely oddball case, even if the weapon of choice could have been replaced with just about anything?

Where?

You questioned the existence of mysterious crossbow related crimes. I gave an example.

Have you ever noticed that most attacks in this country are done with knives?

And some with crossbows. But to your point, guns are harder to get. Due to regulations.

Japan regulates swords, long knives (5cm or longer), and firearms with special nationwide laws. I never imagined that a deadly weapon like a crossbow would not be regulated or prohibited. What about bows and arrows? Some compound bows can put an arrow clean through a deer (or a human). If they are going to regulate or prohibit crossbows, they need to do it with bows too.

There is nothing 'sporting' about a crossbow. They're a killing weapon, nothing else.

I heard of people using them to kill strayed dogs and cats. Crossbows are no different than guns and should be outlawed.