Gun laws curb Japan's Olympic growth

China, Japan may not have been a powerhouse at the Olympics, but the island nation has always made itself visible in the top ranking of the medals tally, and also boasting of legends like gymnast Sawao Kato, wrestler Kaori Icho, judoka Tadahiro Nomura and the great hammer thrower Koji Murofushi.

However, while Japan may have won 231 medals since the 1996 Atlanta Games, not one came from shooting. A silver at the 1992 Barcelona Games was the last of their six Olympic shooting medals they have won out of 618, so far.There is a reason for this strange anomaly. Gun laws are extremely stringent in Japan, so strict that even shooting athletes find it difficult to train. “Our gun laws is the biggest reason why we have not been able to get the medal,” Kiichiro Matsumaru, former president of Japan Shooting Sports Federation and member of the international shooting federation (ISSF), told TOIhere on Friday.

As per Japanese laws, it is very difficult for a civilian to procure a gun license. One must be over 18 years of age, and if children below 18 want to pursue the sport, they have to go through a stringent background check by the police detectives.“The police check the background of the child’s family, the extended families, relatives and everyone they are related to. If they find even one person with a criminal record, even remotely connected to the applicant, they don’t issue the license,” pistol shooter Satoko Yamada, who has participated in the Tokyo Games, said.

The police detectives also check the physical and mental health of the applicants.There’s more. A coach cannot handle the shooter’s gun. “If there is some problem with the rifle or pistol, the shooter has to go to a certified gunsmith to get it checked, serviced or repaired. We as coaches are not allowed to help the shooters with their guns,” Japan’s rifle coach Kim Woo-young said.“It is very tough for firearms. I joined the army after completing 18 years just to train for the 25m pistol events,” said Satoko. “For that reason, it is very difficult to own or use the air rifle for Japanese high school students. So most of them use laser rifles,” she added.Laser rifles are like ‘toys’ where the light beam hits the target and the scores are calculated. This practice is perhaps followed only in Japan.