Man Attempted Online Auction of Japanese War Rifle

[Calum]

January 10, 2008 | by James | Filed Under General Japan |

A man in Hyogo Prefecture has been arrested for attempting to sell a World War II era Japanese Type 38 rifle on an auction site:

Iwasaki reportedly told police the gun originally belonged to his grandfather, who brought it back from the war.

The rifle appears to be the type widely used for training by the Imperial army at that time and is in good condition due to proper maintenance, according to police.

Iwasaki reportedly posted the weapon on the auction site in September, touting it as “the gun the Japanese Imperial Army used a half century ago.”

A man from Miyazaki Prefecture won the bidding at ¥150,000 ($1,403.45 CAD) but then decided not to receive the gun because he thought it might violate the Firearm and Sword Control Law.

Since most Imperial Japanese firearms were either voluntarily surrendered to / seized by occupation authorities at the end of the war, it’s quite rare to see old rifles turn up in the hands of normal citizens these days.

http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=3557

 

[Shrapnel]

I have one justr like it... It is a trainer version with a cast iron receiver and steel pipe barrel intended to fire only blanks... Now, have you seen the size of that banner the police printed? That's time well spent fighting crime...

 

[david doyle]

the 12 gauge shell makes it extra menacing.

 

[Calum]

the 12 gauge shell makes it extra menacing.

Hey, I didn't notice that at first...it even got it's own sign.

 

[Andy]

Shocking!

Can you imagine what might happen if that weapon fell into the hands of a "normal" citizen? I can only assume that the bayonet is very sharp too. Kudos to the cops on this one.

 

[john@]

The shotgun shell is may be in reference to a recent mass murder that happened in Japan. A licenced shotgun owner flipped out on this girl he had the hots for (not sure if they ever actually dated), and shot her and a friend to death at a health club. He discharged about a dozen shells. The Japanese press has been having a field day over this bit of "american style" violence, explaining to the public the difference between a bullet and shot etc... not many of them understand a lot about guns. The perp was discovered a few days after the murders, dead, he had shot himself in a church.