The Specter of 3D-Printed Guns Rises in Gun-Free Japan

[Kami]

Source - http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-specter-of-3d-printed-guns-rises-in-gun-free-japan


Yoshitomo Imura, a 27-year-old employee of the Shonan Institute of Technology, was arrested for 3D-printing guns, and the incident quickly made headlines around the globe.
Japan's firearm laws are extremely restrictive compared to the US-unless you're a cop or in the military, you're not allowed to own a handgun. So it raised plenty of eyebrows when Imura made a very American-seeming call for more gun rights in a society where guns and gun deaths are nearly non-existent.
The arrest itself unprecedented, the Japan Times reports, because it's the first time the country has had to apply its gun control laws to firearms made by 3D printers. And violations in general are exceptionally rare. In 2008, there were just eleven gun-related homicides in the entire county. In the US, there were over twelve thousand.

Without 3D printing, it's really difficult to buy a gun in Japan. Handguns are off-limits, and if you want to buy a rifle, you have to first obtain three separate permits, attend educational lectures, and pass a test on gun safety. After you finally get your gun, you have to get a separate permit from the police to purchase ammunition. Rick Sacca, an American living in Shizuoka, told the Japan Times that the extensive background checks by police would be considered a violation of privacy in the US since police interview employers, neighbors, friends, and even local government officials.

Contrast this with the lax laws in many US states, where gun violence is rampant. In Texas, you don't need a permit to buy a gun of nearly any kind, although you do need a permit to carry it with you. In Georgia, a now-infamous "guns everywhere" law allows citizens to carry their guns in public places, from movie theaters to schools, without any kind of government oversight. Unsurprisingly, researchers have linked the relaxing of gun control laws to an increase in gun-related deaths.

So how exactly did Imura get the idea or the means to print firearms in Japan's highly restrictive and gun-shy environment? The blueprints were downloaded from an overseas server, according to local news reports. The case will again bring attention to Cody Wilson, the 25-year-old cryptoanarchist on the forefront of the 3D printed gun movement in the US, and whose Defense Distributed organization is likely the source of the blueprints that Imura downloaded.

Interesting article. Japan has some of the toughest gun laws in the world (http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/01/29/reference/in-japan-gun-control-is-the-norm-and-discipline-is-rigid/#.U23v0fmSzYp), and one of the lowest homicide rates in the world. It is so rare to see that even the Yakuza (Japanese mafia) hesitate in using guns and instead use daggers and blades.

Although Japan has become one of the most technologically advanced and innovative countries in the world, this has come at a cost, namely the disruption or evaporation of certain cultural norms. The potential effect that 3D-printing could have on Japanese society is massive. These guns are frightening in that they can be assembled quickly, can bypass metal detectors and authorities have no clue how many are in circulation.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfOAMQPM7Sw

[Prisoner Of Ice]

Interesting article. Japan has some of the toughest gun laws in the world (http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/01/29/reference/in-japan-gun-control-is-the-norm-and-discipline-is-rigid/#.U23v0fmSzYp), and one of the lowest homicide rates in the world. It is so rare to see that even the Yakuza (Japanese mafia) hesitate in using guns and instead use daggers and blades.


Japanese in USA have the same murder rate as they do in Japan. Unfortunately the same can't be said for other minorities, some of whom make tons of homicides even without guns.

[Kami]

Japanese in USA have the same murder rate as they do in Japan. Unfortunately the same can't be said for other minorities, some of whom make tons of homicides even without guns.

Yes, that's true. Japanese values mostly emphasize harmony (Wa (/wiki/Wa_(Japanese_culture))), hard work and the honne/tatemae divide (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honne_and_tatemae), so that's unsurprising.

I might also add that Japan's murder rate is so low not only because of strict gun control laws. The main reason is its ethnically homogeneous population and the already mentioned values that have been in Japanese society for hundreds of years.

[Caismeachd]

Bullets can't pass metal detectors though. You'd have to disguise the shell casing, powder, and bullet in some really innovative way to get it past a metal detector. There are tons of ways to manufacture guns or alter common objects into things that can fire off a bullet without using a 3d printer. Bit sensationalist of a story. Vice is kind of crappy hyping things for clicks/views/ad revenue.

[Kami]

Bullets can't pass metal detectors though. You'd have to disguise the shell casing, powder, and bullet in some really innovative way to get it past a metal detector. There are tons of ways to manufacture guns or alter common objects into things that can fire off a bullet without using a 3d printer. Bit sensationalist of a story. Vice is kind of crappy hyping things for clicks/views/ad revenue.

You're right that it is sensationalized. But just the fact that someone was arrested for a gun-related offense is a big deal in Japan

[zhaoyun]

Even if gun ownership became widespread in Japan, I doubt the crime rate would change significantly. Guns dont cause crime, people do. Culture makes the difference in crime rate, not gun ownership, of course, there are a few crazies everywhere, but for the most part, it doesnt make a huge difference in crime rate.

[King Claus]

Bullets can't pass metal detectors though. You'd have to disguise the shell casing, powder, and bullet in some really innovative way to get it past a metal detector. There are tons of ways to manufacture guns or alter common objects into things that can fire off a bullet without using a 3d printer. Bit sensationalist of a story. Vice is kind of crappy hyping things for clicks/views/ad revenue.
What if they make bullets out of the same material?

[Caismeachd]

What if they make bullets out of the same material?

Maybe have a nylon bullet and have a 3D gun setup in an old black powder style gun configuration so you wouldn't need the metal bullet casing.

I found this but but it only shoots bbs and is really weak. But the idea to have a battery current ignite the powder could get around a security. I'm sure dogs at the airport are trained to sniff out gun powder though. Airports also have swabs they can detect that sort of thing.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3Dg9qVCvZs

[Manifest Destiny]

Even if gun ownership became widespread in Japan, I doubt the crime rate would change significantly. Guns dont cause crime, people do. Culture makes the difference in crime rate, not gun ownership, of course, there are a few crazies everywhere, but for the most part, it doesnt make a huge difference in crime rate.

I was going to post the same thing.

Even in America, there isn't any real correlation between crime rates and gun ownership. Some of the states with the least amount of violent crime also have the most lenient gun laws.

[Prisoner Of Ice]

What if they make bullets out of the same material?

Even without a 3d printer, a blunderbuss kind of weapon is very easy to make, and is devastating.

The funny thing about the 3d printer panic is in places there's no way to buy guns, people have figured out how to make Aks out of shovel parts. There's realtime videos that show russians and chechnens building them in under an hour.

[Ultra]

Even without a 3d printer, a blunderbuss kind of weapon is very easy to make, and is devastating.

The funny thing about the 3d printer panic is in places there's no way to buy guns, people have figured out how to make Aks out of shovel parts. There's realtime videos that show russians and chechnens building them in under an hour.
Link? I'd love to build my own shovel-made AK. :icon_lol:

[Prisoner Of Ice]

I've seen it on the jootubes but I did not save a link. I am not sure how much they care if it eplodes after frist few shots, though. I watched some show where a machinist in texas made a bunch of mac 10s from scratch, that was pretty interesting.

[Teyrn]

Even without a 3d printer, a blunderbuss kind of weapon is very easy to make, and is devastating.

The funny thing about the 3d printer panic is in places there's no way to buy guns, people have figured out how to make Aks out of shovel parts. There's realtime videos that show russians and chechnens building them in under an hour.

A blunderbuss is also vastly inferior to a modern-styled gun in terms of its efficiency. It also requires some bit of training to load, prime, and fire. Yes it's a form of shotgun but it can only be shot once before needing to be reloaded.

[Prisoner Of Ice]

A blunderbuss is also vastly inferior to a modern-styled gun in terms of its efficiency. It also requires some bit of training to load, prime, and fire. Yes it's a form of shotgun but it can only be shot once before needing to be reloaded.

Sure but if you want to turn a random crowd into wackamole (what they are supposedly concerned about) it's pretty effective, and you could make it as sophisticated as you want if you are not a dufus.

[Teyrn]

Sure but if you want to turn a random crowd into wackamole (what they are supposedly concerned about) it's pretty effective, and you could make it as sophisticated as you want if you are not a dufus.

Imagine getting hit by one of those things. :eek:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOYaXFFc_gg

.75 caliber :eek:

[Aviator]

Even if gun ownership became widespread in Japan, I doubt the crime rate would change significantly. Guns dont cause crime, people do. Culture makes the difference in crime rate, not gun ownership, of course, there are a few crazies everywhere, but for the most part, it doesnt make a huge difference in crime rate.

Yep. Just look at Switzerland. Guns everywhere and almost no crime to speak of.

[Prisoner Of Ice]

Imagine getting hit by one of those things. :eek:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOYaXFFc_gg

.75 caliber :eek:

The main reason they made bullets smaller is to make it easier to carry them around and cheaper to make the gun and ammo. Get hit by a .69 caliber musket round and you are done. Even today they would have to amputate any limbs that take a hit like that.

Heavier bullets are not harder to handle either, they just travel slower. More momentum is much more effective than more velocity since most of the time the bullet won't be wholly stopped. That is why tommy guns are still in use today in special forces, they have way more stopping power than anything else you can get your hands on.

Now imagine you put 6 barrels like that together :lol:

[zhaoyun]

r
I was going to post the same thing.

Even in America, there isn't any real correlation between crime rates and gun ownership. Some of the states with the least amount of violent crime also have the most lenient gun laws.

Right. I've often been in rural communities where nearly everyone to their 80 yr old grandma owns a gun and people can leave their doors and windows unlocked knowing nothing will happen.

[Teyrn]

The main reason they made bullets smaller is to make it easier to carry them around and cheaper to make the gun and ammo. Get hit by a .69 caliber musket round and you are done. Even today they would have to amputate any limbs that take a hit like that.

Heavier bullets are not harder to handle either, they just travel slower. More momentum is much more effective than more velocity since most of the time the bullet won't be wholly stopped. That is why tommy guns are still in use today in special forces, they have way more stopping power than anything else you can get your hands on.

Now imagine you put 6 barrels like that together :lol:

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

[Manifest Destiny]

Link? I'd love to build my own shovel-made AK. :icon_lol:

Turning Plowshares Into Swords. (http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2012/11/foghorn/turning-ploughshares-into-swords-man-builds-ak-47-from-shovel/)

[LightHouse89]

I was going to post the same thing.

Even in America, there isn't any real correlation between crime rates and gun ownership. Some of the states with the least amount of violent crime also have the most lenient gun laws.

go to maine every summer and fire off my friends Steyr Aug and G3 and take pride they are german guns......go back to heavy regulated mass and it has hgher gun restrictions and yet the highest level of crime. Urban hubs= crime ridden cesspools.

[Kami]

I was going to post the same thing.

Even in America, there isn't any real correlation between crime rates and gun ownership. Some of the states with the least amount of violent crime also have the most lenient gun laws.

You're right. American culture (Colonial) is a gun-culture, Japan is not. It seems that the more ethnically homogeneous (i.e: white) the place is, the lower the homicide rate despite the higher ownership of guns

I see a lot of American Democrats failing to understand that correlation =/= causation, and that they cannot use Japan as a gun-free model. I'll repeat what I said: the Japanese mafia doesn't even use guns...

[Loki]

Even if gun ownership became widespread in Japan, I doubt the crime rate would change significantly. Guns dont cause crime, people do. Culture makes the difference in crime rate, not gun ownership, of course, there are a few crazies everywhere, but for the most part, it doesnt make a huge difference in crime rate.

That says a lot about Americans ... :picard1:

[Loki]

Japan doesn't need gun laws, but America desperately does. Too many trigger-happy people there.

[Manifest Destiny]

Japan doesn't need gun laws, but America desperately does. Too many trigger-happy people there.

We don't need more laws. We just need fewer crappy people.

[Taiguaitiaoghyrmmumin]

We don't need more laws. We just need fewer crappy people.

we need more japanes hentai porn so our popution can decrease and people will be to busy to fight

[Manifest Destiny]

we need more japanes hentai porn so our popution can decrease and people will be to busy to fight

How many guns could you shoot at once if you had naughty tentacles instead of arms?

[Taiguaitiaoghyrmmumin]

How many guns could you shoot at once if you had naughty tentacles instead of arms?

Its a cartoon, you dont get tentacles you just watch. That was a joke. Dont know if your joking about this either.