1

29.

J
APAN

I
n J
apan
, t
he question of gun control is g overned by the Law
1
/
C
ontrolling t
he P
ossession of Firearms a
nd S words, t
he Enforcement
2
/
O
rder o
f t
he C
abinet, t
he E
nforcement R
egulation o
f t
he P
rime M
inis-

t
er's O
ffice, and the Registration Regulation o
f the Cultural Prop-
4
/
e
rties P
rotection Commission. T
hese laws and r
egulations, which are

c
oncerned m
ainly w
ith t
he p
ossession o
f a g
un, a
re e
nforced b
y t
he p
olice.

T
he m
anufacture a
nd s
ale o
f f
irearms, h
owever, a
re r
egulated

b
y the Minister of I
nternational Trade and Industry under the Weapon
5
/ 6
/
M
anufacture Law, t
he Enforcement Order of the Cabinet, a
nd the

E
nforcement R
egulation o
f t
he M
inistry o
f I
nternational T
rade a
nd
7/
I
ndustry. B
ullets, c
artridges, a
nd b
lank c
artridges a
re a
lso s
ubject

1
/ Law No. 6, March 10, 1958, came into f orce on April 1, 1958;
l
ast amended b y Law No. 48, April 20, 1971. This Law superseded the
O
rdinance C oncerning Firearms and Swords (Ordinance N o. 334, 1950)
w
hich w as issued pursuant to the general directives o f the Supreme
C
ommander f or Allied Powers (SCAPIN 2099). T
his O rdinance prevailed
a
s law b y virtue of Law No. 13, 1952, after the P eace Treaty came into
f
orce o n April 28, 1952, until the enactment of t he present law.

2
/ C
abinet Order No. 3
3, M
arch 1
7, 1
958, a
s l
ast a
mended b
y O
rder
N
o. 1
31, A
pril 20, 1971.

3/ R
egulation No. 16 of the Prime M
inister's Office, March 2
2,
1
958, as l
ast amended by Regulation No. 2
5, April 22, 1971.

4/ R
egulation No. 10 of the Ministry of Education, M
arch 1
0,
1
958, as l
ast amended by Regulation No. 31, December 26, 1
968.

5
/ Law No. 1
45, A
ugust 1
, 1
953, a
s l
ast a
mended b
y L
aw N
o. 4
8,
A
pril 2
0, 1971.

6
/ C
abinet Order No. 1
98, A
ugust 1
5, 1
953, a
s a
mended b
y O
rder
N
o. 2
16, J
uly 28, 1954.

7
/ R
egulation No. 43 of the Ministry of International Trade and
I
ndustry, S eptember 1
, 1953, a
s l ast amended by Regulation No. 47,
M
ay 1, 1971.
1
30. J
apan

t
o t
he c
ontrol o
f t
he s
ame M
inister, b
ut u
nder a d
ifferent s
et o
f
8
/
l
egislation
, including the Explosive C ontrol Law, t
he Enforcement
9
/
O
rder of the Cabinet, and the Enforcement R egulation of the Minist
ry
1
0/
o
f International Trade and Industry. I
n addition, the Order Con-

c
erning T
ransportation o
f E
xplosives i
ssued b
y t
he P
rime M
inister
's
1
1/
O
ffice i
s i
n f
orce.

T
his d
ual c
ontrol b
y p
olice (
possession) a
nd t
he M
inistry o
f

I
nternational T
rade a
nd I
ndustry (
manufacture, s
ale, c
artridges, e
t
c.)

r
esults i
n t
he i
nefficient a
dministration o
f g
un c
ontrol l
egislati
on.

T
his g
roup o
f l
aws h
as b
een t
he t
arget o
f c
onstant c
riticism b
y t
hos
e

who a
dvocate t
he e
nactment o
f u
niform g
un c
ontrol l
egislation u
nder

t
he e
xclusive c
ontrol o
f t
he p
olice. M
any a
rgue t
hat t
he p
ossession

o
f f
irearms, w
hich i
s t
he m
ost i
mportant a
spect o
f t
he g
un c
ontrol
, i
s

s
o c
losely c
onnected w
ith t
he p
roblems o
f i
mport, s
ale, a
nd t
ransfe
r

o
f g
uns t
hat t
he u
niform a
dministration o
f a l
aw which c
overs b
oth
1
2/
a
spects o
f f
irearms c
ontrol i
s u
rgently n
eeded.

8
/ L
aw N
o. 1
49, M
ay 4
, 1
950, a
s l
ast a
mended b
y L
aw N
o. 8
0,
J
une 7
, 1
966.

9
/ C
abinet O
rder N
o. 3
23, O
ctober 3
1, 1
950, a
s a
mended b
y O
rde
r
N
o. 2
61, J
uly 2
1, 1
966.

1
0/ Regulation No. 88 of the Ministry of International T
rade a
nd ,
I
ndustry, October 31, 1950, as amended by Ordinance No. 41, J
une 2
0,19

1
1/ O
rder N
o. 6
5 o
f t
he P
rime M
inister's O
ffice, D
ecember 2
8, 1
9
6
a
s a
mended b
y O
rder N
o. 4
4, D
ecember 1
, 1
969.

1
2/ Isao Koike, "Ji
ih6 taken nado shoji torishimariho no ichibuo
k
aiseisuru hOritsu," [Partial Amendment to the Law Controlling the
P
ossession of Firearms a nd S
words], Toki no horei, No. 536 (June 196
5),
p
• 9
.
 J
apan 1
31.

A
n i
ncrease d
uring t
he 1
960's i
n t
he n
umber o
f c
rimes c
om-

m
itted with u
nauthorized f
irearms, a
s r
evealed b
y g
overnment s
tatis-
13/
t
ics, g
ave i
mpetus t
o t
he a
rgument f
or a r
evision o
f t
he 1
958 l
aw

w
hich w
ould s
trengthen t
he m
ethods o
f c
ontrol o
f p
ossession o
f f
ire-

a
rms. A 1
965 a
mendment t
o -t
he L
aw C
ontrolling t
he P
ossession o
f

F
irearms a
nd S
words w
as a
imed a
t c
urtailing i
llegal p
ossession o
f

f
irearms a
s am
easure t
o p
revent t
he u
se o
f s
uch w
eapons i
n c
rimes o
f

v
iolence. T
he amendment p
rovided for an overall increase in the p
un-
1
4/
i
shment o
f o
ffenders, i
n addition t
o i ncorporating a new p
rovision

p
lacing f
urther p
rohibitions o
n t
he i
mportation o
f f
irearms. I
n 1
971,

t
he 1
958 L
aw w
as f
urther a
mended, s
tricter s
tandards b
eing i
mposed u
pon

t
he p
ossession o
f r
ifles a
nd t
he s
afe k
eeping o
f f
irearms i
n g
eneral.

T
he f
ollowing i
s a s
ummary o
f t
he L
aw C
ontrolling t
he P
osses-

s
ion o
f F
irearms a
nd S
words. T
he L
aw c
onsists o
f f
ive c
hapters:

(
I) g
eneral p
rovisions, (
II) p
ermission f
or t
he p
ossession o
f f
irearms

o
r s
words, (
III) r
egistration o
f t
he m
atchlock-type f
irearms o
r s
words,

(
IV) m
iscellaneous p
rovisions, a
nd (
V) p
enal p
rovisions. U
nder C
hap-

t
er I (
Articles 1 t
o 3
-2), t
he p
urpose a
nd d
efinition o
f t
he a
bove l
aw

a
re s
et f
orth:

A
rticle 1
. T
he p urpose of this Law i
s to provide control
m
easures necessary f or the p
revention of danger and injury
a
rising from t he possession of f
irearms, swords, etc.

1
3/ I
bid., p
. 2
.

1
4/ I
bid., p
. 3
-5.
1
32. J
apan

A
rticle 2. I
n this Law "firearms" shall mean pistols,
r
ifles, machine guns, guns, hunting guns, and other powder
c
harging firearms which project a metal shell and air guns
(
including those using compressed gas) that have mechanism
o
f shooting metallic bullets.

T
he p
ossession o
f f
irearms i
s p
rohibited w
ith t
he f
ollowing

e
xceptions:

A
rticle 3. N
o p
erson shall possess firearms or swords,
e
xcept for s
uch cases a
s falling under any one o
f t he fol-
l
owing i
tems:

(1) I
n c
ase of possession for the purpose o
f p
erforming
a d
uty in a
ccordance with laws and orders;

(
2) In case of possession by the state officials or by
o
fficials of the local public body w
ith t he intention o
f
t
est or research, or of exhibition t
o t he public...;

(3) I
n case of possession by any person who has obtained
p
ermission in accordance with the provisions of Articles
4 a
nd 6...;

(
3-2) In case of possession by any person who has been
e
ntrusted with a firearm [to be used for an international
a
thletic game] under Article 10-2, paragraph 1...;

(
4) In case o
f possession o
f a firearm which h
as been
r
egistered in a
ccordance with the p
rovisions of A
rticle 14;

(
5) In case of possession by a
ny firearms or hunting gun
m
anufacturer as provided in the W
eapon Manufacture Law (Law
N
o. 145, 1953) or by any person w
ho has obtained permission
u
nder the proviso to Articles 4 o
r 18 of the above Law in
o
rder to carry on business...;

(
6) In case of possession by any dealer of hunting guns,
m
entioned in the Weapon Manufacture Law, who has obtained
f
rom any manufacturer of hunting guns, from any dealer of
h
unting guns, or from any person who possesses the same with
p
ermission under Article 4 .. o r [in the case of possession]
b
y the said dealer who has imported the same for the purpose
o
f business.

(
7) - (
10) [
Omitted.]

A
rticle 3-2. N
o person s
hall import pistols, rifles, machine
g
uns, or guns (
cannons) w
ith the following exceptions:
J
apan 1
33.
(
1) - (
5). [
Omitted.]

C
hapter I
I (
Articles 4 t
o 1
3) i
s c
oncerned w
ith p
rocedure

f
or o
btaining p
ermission t
o p
ossess a
nd r
estrictions o
n t
he p
ossession

o
f f
irearms. A
ny p
erson w
ho w
ishes t
o p
ossess f
irearms, i
n a
ccordance

w
ith t
he p
rocedure p
rescribed b
y t
he R
egulation o
f t
he P
rime M
inister's

O
ffice, m
ust o
btain t
he p
ermission o
f t
he P
ublic S
afety C
ommission o
f
1
5/
t
he T
o, D
o, F
u o
r K
en p
refecture c
ontrolling p
ossession o
f f
irearms

a
nd s
words i
n h
is p
lace o
f r
esidence.

U
nder A
rticle 4
, p
ermission m
ust b
e o
btained t
o p
ossess t
he

f
ollowing: (
1) h
unting g
uns t
o b
e u
sed f
or t
he s
hooting o
f g
ame o
r

h
unting o
r a
ir g
uns t
o b
e u
sed i
n t
arget s
hooting o
r t
he e
xtermination

o
f h
armful b
irds a
nd b
easts; (
2) f
irearms n
ecessary f
or b
utchery, l
ife

s
aving, f
ishery, a
nd i
ndustrial c
onstruction
; (
3) f
irearms n
ecessary

f
or r
esearch a
nd e
xperimentation; (
4) p
istols t
o b
e u
sed i
n i
nternational

a
thletic g
ames u
pon r
ecommendation b
y t
he p
erson d
esignated b
y C
abinet

O
rder; a
nd (
5) f
irearms n
ecessary t
o t
he g
iving o
f s
ignals b
y t
he u
mpire

i
n i
nternational o
r n
ational a
thletic g
ames u
pon r
ecommendation b
y t
he

p
erson d
esignated b
y C
abinet O
rder.

U
nder A
rticle 5
, t
he f
ollowing p
ersons, h
owever, m
ay n
ot

p
ossess t
he f
irearms m
entioned a
bove: (
1) a p
erson l
ess t
han 1
8 y
ears

o
f a
ge (
in t
he c
ase o
f ah
unting g
un, l
ess t
han 2
0 y
ears o
f a
ge);

(
2) am
entally d
eranged o
r m
entally d
issipated p
erson o
r o
ne p
oisoned

1
5/ T hese terms refer to the administrative division of Japan w hich
i
s as follows: (
1) To (Metropolis) refers to Tokyo; (2) Do
(
District) r efers to Hokkaido; (3) Fu refers to the urban prefectures,
K
yoto a nd Osaka; and (4) Ken refers to the 42 rural prefectures. T
he
r
espective p ublic safety commissions have control over each police f orce
u
nder their j urisdiction (see Police Law, Law No. 162, June 8, 1954).
1
34. J
apan

b
y n
arcotics o
r "
taima" [
cannabis s
ativa]; (
3) a p
erson w
ithout f
ixed

a
bode; (
4) a p
erson w
ith r
espect t
o w
hom t
hree y
ears h
ave n
ot e
lapsed

s
ince t
he d
ay h
is p
ermission [
to p
ossess f
irearms] w
as w
ithdrawn i
n

a
ccordance w
ith A
rticle 1
1; (
5) a
ny p
erson w
ho, f
or t
he v
iolation

o
f A
rticle 3
, p
aragraph 1
, h
as b
een s
entenced t
o p
unishment m
ore

s
evere t
han a f
ine, d
uring t
he t
hree y
ears p
rior t
o t
he d
ate o
f h
is

a
pplication f
or p
ermission; a
nd (
6) a
ny p
erson (
taking i
nto c
onsideration

a
lso r
elatives l
iving w
ith h
im) w
ho t
here i
s r
easonable c
ause t
o s
uspect

m
ay b
e d
angerous t
o o
ther p
ersons' l
ives o
r p
roperties o
r t
o p
ublic

p
eace.

A
n e
xception w
ill b
e m
ade t
o t
he p
rohibition s
tated i
n t
he

f
irst i
tem a
bove u
nder t
he f
ollowing c
ircumstances: (
1) i
n t
he c
ase

o
f a
n a
ir g
un t
o b
e u
sed i
n an
ational a
thletic g
ame, a p
erson o
ver

1
4 y
ears o
f a
ge m
ay b
e g
iven p
ermission f
or p
ossession u
pon

r
ecommendation b
y a p
erson d
esignated b
y C
abinet O
rder, a
nd (
2) i
n

t
he c
ase o
f a h
unting g
un t
o b
e u
sed f
or t
his p
urpose, a p
erson o
ver

1
8 y
ears o
f a
ge m
ay b
e g
iven p
ermission u
pon r
ecommendation b
y t
he

d
esignated p
erson.

F
urther, i
n t
he n
ormal i
nstance o
f p
ossession o
f ah
unting

g
un b
y a p
erson o
ver 2
0 y
ears o
f a
ge o
r p
ossession o
f a
n a
ir g
un b
y

ap
erson o
ver 1
8 y
ears o
f a
ge, t
he r
equisite p
ermission i
s c
ontingent

a
lso u
pon t
he p
erson's h
aving s
uccessfully c
ompleted a c
ourse o
f

l
ectures g
iven b
y t
he P
ublic S
afety C
ommission h
aving j
urisdiction

o
ver t
he p
lace w
here h
e r
esides. T
he c
ourses a
re c
oncerned w
ith t
he
J
apan 1
35.

l
aws a
nd r
egulations r
elated t
o t
he p
ossession o
f h
unting o
r a
ir g
uns,

a
nd t
he m
ethod o
f t
heir u
se a
nd c
ustody. U
pon c
ompletion o
f t
he

c
ourse, a c
ertificate i
s i
ssued b
y t
he C
ommission
. I
n t
he c
ase o
f a

r
ifle t
o b
e u
sed f
or h
unting o
r t
he e
xtermination o
f h
armful b
irds

a
nd b
easts, p
ermission s
hall n
ot b
e g
iven u
nless t
he p
erson i
s a

p
rofessional h
unter w
ho w
ill u
se t
he r
ifle i
n t
he c
ourse o
f h
is

o
ccupation o
r ap
erson w
ho w
ill u
se i
t f
or t
he p
rotection o
f h
is

b
usiness o
r ap
erson w
ho h
as h
ad a p
ermit t
o p
ossess a h
unting g
un

f
or m
ore t
han 1
0 y
ears. P
ermission a
lso s
hall b
e g
ranted t
o

a
thletes w
ho w
ill u
se t
he r
ifle t
o p
articipate i
n a r
ifle s
hooting

g
ame
. (
Articles 5
-2 a
nd 5
-3).

A
liens w
ho e
nter J
apan i
n o
rder t
o u
se f
irearms i
n

i
nternational a
thletic g
ames t
o b
e h
eld i
n J
apan m
ust o
btain p
ermission

f
rom t
he l
ocal P
ublic S
afety C
ommission h
aving j
urisdiction o
ver t
he

p
orts o
f e
ntry a
nd e
xit.

W
hen a P
ublic S
afety C
ommission g
ives p
ermission t
o p
ossess

a f
irearm, a p
ermit c
ertificate m
ust b
e i
ssued. H
owever, s
uch p
ermit

s
hall b
e i
nvalidated i
n t
he f
ollowing i
nstances: (
1) w
hen t
he

p
ossession o
f f
irearms h
as b
ecome i
mpossible w
ithin 3 m
onths f
rom t
he

t
ime t
he p
ermit w
as g
ranted; (
2) w
hen a p
erson w
ho h
ad p
ermission h
as

d
ied; (
3) w
hen a p
erson h
as t
ransferred t
he s
aid f
irearms a
nd n
o

l
onger h
as t
hem i
n h
is p
ossession a
t h
is v
oluntary w
ill; (
4) w
hen t
he

f
irearms h
ave b
een l
ost o
r s
tolen o
r d
estroyed; (
5) w
hen t
he f
irearms

h
ave b
een r
ecalled b
y t
he P
ublic S
afety C
ommission o
r c
onfiscated b
y

t
he s
ame C
ommission; (
6) w
hen t
he r
ecommendation r
equired f
or p
ermission
1
36. J
apan

t
o u
se a p
istol i
n a
n i
nternational a
thletic g
ame, f
or p
ermission

f
or a p
erson l
ess t
han 1
8 y
ears o
f a
ge t
o p
ossess a
n a
ir g
un f
or u
se

i
n an
ational a
thletic g
ame, a
nd f
or p
ermission f
or a p
erson l
ess t
han

2
0 y
ears o
f a
ge t
o u
se a h
unting g
un i
n an
ational a
thletic g
ame, h
as

b
een w
ithdrawn; a
nd (
7) w
hen t
he p
ermit h
as e
xpired.

U
nder A
rticle 1
0, t
he c
arrying, t
ransporting, o
r d
ischarging

o
f f
irearms, o
ther t
han t
hat s
pecifically p
ermitted b
y l
aw (
Articles

4 a
nd 6
), i
s p
rohibited w
ith c
ertain e
xceptions. T
he p
erson w
ho

h
as b
een a
uthorized t
o p
ossess a f
irearm m
ust h
imself k
eep i
t i
n a

g
un l
ocker. T
he p
erson w
ho h
as o
btained p
ermission t
o p
ossess f
irearms

f
or t
he p
urpose o
f p
articipating i
n i
nternational g
ames m
ust h
ave

t
he s
aid f
irearms p
ut u
nder t
he c
ustody o
f a
nother p
erson d
esignated

b
y C
abinet O
rder.

F
urthermore, a
ny p
erson w
ho h
as b
een a
uthorized t
o p
ossess

f
irearms i
s s
ubject t
o s
upervisory a
ctions s
uch a
s r
evocation,

p
rovisional h
oldings, h
earings, a
nd i
nspection b
y t
he c
ompetent P
ublic

S
afety C
ommission
.

C
hapter I
II (
Articles 1
4 t
hrough 2
1) i
s e
xclusively d
evoted

t
o t
he p
roblems a
rising f
rom t
he r
egistration o
f t
he m
atchlock-type

f
irearms a
nd s
words, w
hich h
ave a
n a
rtificial v
alue, w
ith t
he C
ultural

P
roperty P
rotection C
ommission
.

C
hapter I
V (
Articles 2
1-2 t
hrough 3
0) s
ets f
orth m
iscellaneous

p
rovisions. T
he m
anufacturer o
f f
irearms, h
unting g
uns, s
ignal g
uns f
or

w
haling, o
r t
he d
ealer i
n h
unting g
uns o
r s
ignal g
uns f
or w
haling s
hall

n
ot t
ransfer t
he s
aid g
un t
o a
n a
ssignee u
nless t
he f
ormer h
as c
onfirmed
J
apan 1
37.

t
hat t
he l
atter i
s a
uthorized t
o p
ossess t
he g
un u
nder t
he p
rovisions

o
f A
rticle 3 o
r u
nless h
e h
as d
isplayed t
he p
ermit u
nder A
rticle 7
.

A
ny p
erson who h
as f
ound o
r p
icked u
p f
irearms m
ust r
eport

t
his p
romptly t
o t
he n
earest p
olice s
tation
. T
he p
erson a
uthorized

t
o p
ossess a f
irearm m
ust r
eport h
is l
ost o
r s
tolen f
irearm t
o t
he

p
olice s
tation.

A
ny p
erson w
ho c
arries o
r t
ransports a g
un must c
arry w
ith

h
im t
he p
ermit a
nd r
egistration, w
hich a
re s
ubject t
o p
olice i
nspection

u
pon r
equest.

U
nder A
rticle 2
4-2, t
he p
ossessors o
f f
irearms a
re s
ubject

t
o p
olice i
nspection a
nd t
emporary c
ustody o
f t
he f
irearms. W
hen

t
here i
s ar
easonable s
uspicion t
hat a p
erson c
arrying o
r t
ransporting

f
irearms i
s d
angerous t
o o
ther p
ersons' l
ives o
r p
roperties o
r t
o

p
ublic p
eace j
udging f
rom h
is u
nusual b
ehavior o
r f
rom t
he s
urrounding

c
ircumstances, a p
olice o
fficial m
ay c
ompel h
im t
o s
how t
he s
aid

f
irearms f
or i
nspection. W
hen i
t i
s d
eemed n
ecessary, s
uch f
irearms

m
ay b
e w
ithheld b
y t
he p
olice. T
hey w
ill b
e r
eturned t
o t
he o
riginal

p
ossessor w
ithin 5 d
ays f
rom t
he t
ime o
f t
heir s
urrender t
o t
he

p
olice, u
nless t
he p
olice o
fficial d
eems t
hat s
uch r
eturn i
s n
ot p
roper

a
nd t
hat t
he f
irearms s
hould b
e r
eturned t
o r
elatives o
f t
he o
riginal

p
ossessor o
r t
o o
ther p
ersons. W
hen t
he f
irearms a
re i
n t
he p
ossession

o
f p
ersons n
ot h
aving p
ermission, t
he f
irearms i
n q
uestion m
ay n
ot b
e

r
eturned. I
f i
t i
s i
mpossible t
o r
eturn t
he f
irearms t
o t
he p
ossessor

o
r h
is r
elatives d
ue t
o h
is o
r t
heir a
ddress b
eing u
nknown, w
ithin

5d
ays f
rom t
he d
ay u
pon w
hich t
he p
olice o
fficer p
rovisionally t
ook
 J
apan
1
38.

t
hem i
nto c
ustody, t
he p
olice c
hief m
ust a
nnounce t
he r
eason f
or

n
on-return i
n ap
ublic n
otice i
n a
ccordance w
ith t
he O
rdinance o
f t
he

P
rime M
inister's O
ffice. I
f t
he f
irearm h
as n
ot b
een r
eturned w
ithin

6m
onths f
rom t
he t
ime a
t w
hich t
he p
ublic n
otice w
as m
ade, o
wnership

o
f t
he s
aid f
irearm w
ould b
e a
ssumed b
y t
he s
tate o
r l
ocal g
overnment.

U
nder A
rticle 2
5, t
he p
rovisions o
n i
nspection a
nd t
emporary

c
ustody o
f f
irearms a
re s
tated. T
hese p
rovisions a
re a
pplicable t
o

p
ersons w
ho e
nter J
apanese p
orts c
arrying f
irearms.

I
n a c
ase w
here a P
ublic S
afety C
ommission c
learly d
eems t
hat -

t
he d
elivery, t
ransportation, a
nd c
arrying o
f t
he f
irearms f
or w
hich

ap
ermit h
as b
een o
btained u
nder A
rticles 4 a
nd 6 a
nd w
hich h
ave b
een

r
egistered u
nder A
rticle 1
4 a
re d
irectly d
angerous t
o t
he m
aintenance

o
f p
ublic o
rder d
ue t
o t
he e
xistence o
f a d
isaster o
r d
isturbance t
o

l
ocal t
ranquility, t
he f
ollowing a
ctions m
ay b
e t
aken
: (
1) t
he

C
ommission m
ay p
rohibit o
r l
imit t
hese a
ctions t
o a f
ixed d
istrict

a
nd p
eriod b
y m
eans o
f an
otice i
n t
he f
orm o
f a
n a
nnouncement; (
2)

t
he P
ublic S
afety C
ommission m
ay, i
n a c
ase w
here t
he a
bove n
otice

h
as b
een m
ade, r
etain f
irearms p
rovisionally; (
3) t
he n
otice g
iven b
y

t
he C
ommission m
ust b
e a
pproved b
y t
he d
eliberative a
ssembly o
f t
he

l
ocal p
ublic b
ody c
onvened w
ithin 7 d
ays f
rom t
he d
ay o
f n
otice; (
4)

w
hen t
he a
bove a
pproval h
as n
ot b
een o
btained, t
he n
otice s
hall l
ose

i
ts e
ffect t
hereafter; a
nd (
5) w
hen t
he f
ixed p
eriod h
as e
xpired o
r

t
he n
otice h
as b
ecome i
nvalid, t
he C
ommission s
hall i
mmediately r
eturn

t
he f
irearms p
rovisionally h
eld.
J
apan 1
39.

U
nder C
hapter V o
f t
he s
ame L
aw (
Articles 3
1 t
o 3
7), a
ny

p
erson w
ho p
ossesses f
irearms i
n c
ontravention o
f A
rticle 3 o
r f
ails

t
o o
btain p
ermission i
s s
ubject t
o am
aximum p
unishment o
f p
enal

s
ervitude n
ot e
xceeding 5 y
ears o
r a f
ine n
ot e
xceeding 2
00,000 y
en.

A
ny p
erson w
ho i
mports f
irearms i
n v
iolation o
f A
rticle 3
-2 i
s s
ubject

t
o p
enal s
ervitude n
ot e
xceeding 5 y
ears o
r a f
ine n
ot e
xceeding

3
00,000 y
en. I
f a
ny p
erson s
o i
mports f
irearms f
or t
he p
urpose o
f

p
rofit, h
e i
s s
ubject t
o p
enal s
ervitude n
ot e
xceeding 7 y
ears o
r a

f
ine n
ot e
xceeding 5
00,000 yen
. F
or a m
inor v
iolation, a m
inimum

p
unishment o
f a f
ine n
ot e
xceeding 1
0,000 yen o
r c
onfiscation o
f t
he

f
irearms m
ay b
e i
mposed.

P
repared by Dr. Sung Yoon Cho
S
enior Legal Specialist
F
ar Eastern Law Division
L
aw Library, Library of Congress
P
repared March 1968
R
evised March 1974 and February 1976