NationStates Jolt Archive

Did this get put up here and I just missed it?

Over the weekend there was a mass shooting in Sasebo (near the city of Nagasaki) in which a guy shot 7 people, two fatally.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20071216TDY01304.htm

As Japan is often presented as one of the poster children for the firearms prohibitionists, what does this say when thrown in the mix?

I know what I say...

Prayers to the victims and their families. :(

I know what I say...

Prayers to the victims and their families. :(

Same here.

Those poor people. My sympathy is with them all

As Japan is often presented as one of the poster children for the firearms prohibitionists, what does this say when thrown in the mix?
considering he had three permits for three shotguns... I don't think Japan ever was a Firearm Prohibitionist, Firearm Control... yes, but not Prohibitionist.

As Japan is often presented as one of the poster children for the firearms prohibitionists, what does this say when thrown in the mix?

Eh. Japan has its own history of killing sprees. One of the worst ever took place there, when a Japanese cop went on a gun/sword rampage, made easier because he was in uniform. I think he killed something like 60 people. Happens in S. Korea on occasion, too. If there's something to blame, it would probably be that mental illness is often stigmatized in those countries, to a greater degree than it is in the West. Method of killing is less relevant, I think.

Eh. Japan has its own history of killing sprees. One of the worst ever took place there, when a Japanese cop went on a gun/sword rampage, made easier because he was in uniform. I think he killed something like 60 people. Happens in S. Korea on occasion, too. If there's something to blame, it would probably be that mental illness is often stigmatized in those countries, to a greater degree than it is in the West. Method of killing is less relevant, I think.
That killing was in South Korea, not Japan.

That killing was in South Korea, not Japan.

Yes, my mistake. I conflated two different cases somehow - although not being an expert on mass murderers doesn't trouble me too much. :p

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spree_killer

Should be the #1 on that list. Pretty terrible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copycat

As Japan is often presented as one of the poster children for the firearms prohibitionists, what does this say when thrown in the mix?
I would note, as I did to my wife who started worrying that Japan was becoming a gun culture ala the US, that Japan as a whole has less gun deaths per year than the mid-sized city I come from (Reno, Nevada) and the whole nation has some 344,000 registered firearms instead of the US where the latest estimate was two for every man woman and child in the US. Not to mention this is the first mass shooting in Japan in HOW long vs. the US had a 3 in the last few months. This wouldn't have rated more than a mention on the national news in the US, if it was mentioned at all.

So while the stringent gun control in Japan doesn't completely stop this, it does seem to help.

You know what this means? We need to ban guns and violent video games in the US. Just because.

Well at least he didn't gas the subway or anything...

Did this get put up here and I just missed it?

Over the weekend there was a mass shooting in Sasebo (near the city of Nagasaki) in which a guy shot 7 people, two fatally.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20071216TDY01304.htm

As Japan is often presented as one of the poster children for the firearms prohibitionists, what does this say when thrown in the mix?

A mass shooting in Japan? That's unpossible. Guns aren't allowed in Japan, I thought. [/sarcasm]

On a serious note, my thoughts are with the victims of this tragedy and their families.

If this had happened in USA, this thread would be filled with replies.

There's crazy people everywhere. Doesn't matter what nation we are talking about.

I would note, as I did to my wife who started worrying that Japan was becoming a gun culture ala the US, that Japan as a whole has less gun deaths per year than the mid-sized city I come from (Reno, Nevada) and the whole nation has some 344,000 registered firearms instead of the US where the latest estimate was two for every man woman and child in the US. Not to mention this is the first mass shooting in Japan in HOW long vs. the US had a 3 in the last few months. This wouldn't have rated more than a mention on the national news in the US, if it was mentioned at all.

So while the stringent gun control in Japan doesn't completely stop this, it does seem to help.

QFT

Its odd, I didn't hear about this at all on the news. My condolences to the victims.

If this had happened in USA, this thread would be filled with replies.

Probably because it's rare in other places, while it's seemingly a natural part of the America daily life. One rare gun shooting elicits sympathy because one lunatic happened to get around the system, whereas in the US, system, what bloody damn system? That's where the difference is I think.

2/7? What they need to do is have a national program that teaches their firearm owners how to shoot better.

Wouldn't it be great if you had to be sane to operate a gun?

Wouldn't it be great if you had to be sane to operate a gun?

I don't know... too many people these days are considered "sane"

Be careful what you wish for (no matter which side of this question you're on, and for the sake of full disclosure I insist on my natural right to keep and bear arms in defense of my inalienable right to life)..."sane" often is defined by those in charge. Don't think for a moment that one's own policy preferences can be enshrined from everlasting to everlasting, as the Good Book says, based on subjective criteria.

Well, um, it's a change from the usual suicide? :confused:

I'd still feel safe walking the back allies at 1am. Japan is a pretty safe country compared to many others.

This guy legally owned firearms, he had permits for them.

If anything, it says that background and mental health checks for gun permits should be stricter and that people who go to church are nutters. :p

I don't know... too many people these days are considered "sane"

I say put all the sane people in the asylums and have them guarded by insane people and see where it takes us.

Happens in S. Korea on occasion, too. If there's something to blame, it would probably be that mental illness is often stigmatized in those countries, to a greater degree than it is in the West. Method of killing is less relevant, I think.

QFT though I would add that Taijin-kyofusho is very prevalent in Japanese male culture (more or less the Japanese reply to Bulimia Nervosa) which I would also put into consideration in this case

:eek: I learned something at college!

"sane" often is defined by those in charge. Don't think for a moment that one's own policy preferences can be enshrined from everlasting to everlasting, as the Good Book says, based on subjective criteria.

yes mental illness is subjective to ones culture like talking to yourself and such

however conventional thought follows on ones ability to function, in this case the guy was unable to function I would assume

Click Stand;13303471']I say put all the sane people in the asylums and have them guarded by insane people and see where it takes us.

giant play houses where every room is a bouncy room :)

people who go to church are nutters. :p
except...

Born into a churchgoing Catholic family, Magome was baptized when he was a baby, but church members said he had not been to Mass since he was about 20.

so it's saying more that people who don't go to church are nutters. :D

so it's saying more that people who don't go to church are nutters. :D

No, no. It's people who have gone, but don't go again anymore.

Well at least he didn't gas the subway or anything...

ew nice lol