Tougher gun law takes aim at gangsters

After several high-profile shootings by gangsters, lawmakers toughened the punishment for firing or owning guns in connection with organized crime.

The upper house of the Diet, Japan’s parliament, passed the bill to revise the firearms-control law, according to the upper house’s website.

The legislation, which passed the lower house earlier this month, is expected to take effect by the end of the year pending its official publication, according to an official of the National Police Agency, which drafted the bill.

Shootings are still relatively rare in Japan, but authorities are concerned about a recent rise in crimes involving guns, which are already tightly controlled.

Under the legislation, if a member of an organized crime group fires a gun, the punishment would be five years to life in prison and a fine of up to $279,600. Possession could bring up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $46,660.