In the wake of the most recent mass shooting in the US, it’s past time for legislators to take a stand and find ways to drastically reduce gun violence in our country. I’m writing as a gun user. Target shooting is great fun! I’m very proud of a target I have with just two beautiful bullseyes in it. I only had two bullets in the revolver. 😀 But that doesn’t mean we should continue to turn a blind eye to the proliferation of gun violence.

I suggest looking to Japan for model legislation. Japan is probably more restrictive than most Americans would like, but their policies have been extremely effective. In 2014 only six people died from gunshots in Japan. Compare that to 33,599 in the same year in the US. The BBC has done an excellent job writing about Japanese gun laws. In essence:

• The police are not militarized. They are conditioned to de-escalate instead of draw their gun.
• Obtaining a firearm in Japan is a lengthy process involving intense scrutinization of the applicant, their family, and their associates. You must get at least 95% on the marksmanship test in order to pass.
• Several laws ensure the Japanese government knows where all the guns and ammunition are. You must have a safe in which guns and ammo are stored separately and the police must know its location. You must return your spent cartridges to the store to obtain new ones (this law also helps ensure that guns are being used for lawful purposes such as target shooting).
• The Japanese began one of the world’s first buyback programs back in 1685 and it’s still going strong. When a gun owner dies, their heirs must turn the gun and ammunition in to the police.
• Gun shops are strictly monitored and kept to a small number. These are the only places Japanese can legally buy guns and ammo.
• Shotguns and air rifles are the only firearms civilians are allowed to purchase. Japanese police leave their firearms at the station when they leave work.

While not all of these policies would work for the United States (for example, Americans would probably demand to continue to have access to pistols and revolvers, and historical collectors would want to be able to pass down their collection), I think versions of them would. I would feel a lot safer knowing that anyone buying a firearm had to go through such a lengthy and rigorous process. Retraining our police to use the most peaceful means possible to de-escalate situations first would go far toward addressing the epidemic of police shootings in America.