Head of toy gun maker held for possessing 'lethal' air guns

Tuesday 02nd December, 02:26 PM JST

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13 Comments

dennis0bauer at 03:13 PM JST - 2nd December

Well those plastic airguns are also dangerous tried shot straight through a tin cookie can
some14some at 04:11 PM JST - 2nd December

1,950 units sold circulating in the market, Tanaka Works...too scary !
movieguy at 04:24 PM JST - 2nd December

Is it me or with the bizarre killings we hear about these days I thought the police had the actual head of a toy gun maker and were keeping it for some odd reason..
Disillusioned at 05:01 PM JST - 2nd December

A safe country indeed! I caught a young freak wondering around the streets at night firing rounds out of his air rifle into parked cars. The reason I caught him was because he lobbed one across the park at me and it bounced just in front of me. I then chased him up the street and after a small wrestle I turned his air rifle into a pile of broken plastic. He, on the other hand, is probably still running. It comes as no surprise this wimp put up no fight at all.
BBLeo at 05:32 PM JST - 2nd December

Toy guns should be banned altogether the same as real weapons. Young generation are growing and learning fro0m toy and TV. Sure lawmakers are concerned that will shorten the revenue. However, what is better making more criminals or stopping crimes?
BlackFlag at 01:49 AM JST - 3rd December

Toy guns should be banned altogether the same as real weapons. Young generation are growing and learning fro0m toy and TV

so when you were a kid no Cops and Robbers/Cowboys and Indians in the playground? what were you? Mary Poppins? or did you have a toy gun as a child and as you type are fighting that recurring urge to go on a gun rampage?
ca1ic0cat at 04:17 AM JST - 3rd December

Good for you disillusioned. Hope he had a few scrapes to explain as well as the loss of his toy.

I don't know about airsoft and paintball guns. On one hand they are interesting games. Give you the perspective that Rambo can't really dodge that hail of gunfire and you might just get yourself killed. But then playing with toy guns isn't the best idea for the impressionable.

I still have time wondering how anything like this could be lethal. With a plastic barrel? I'm not sure I trust the tests.

Of course my kids weren't allowed to have toy weapons as I didn't want them to trivialize killing. Now that they are grown they are both trained in the proper use of firearms and shoot all the time.

There are some advantages to being back in the states....
TabbyR at 11:40 AM JST - 3rd December

Toys like that really need off the market. I don't mind they are mock guns, but if they are capable of serious injuring someone, it shouldn't be considered a "toy" at all. Imagine how many little kids are aiming these little metal mock bullets at other children.
Zolt at 04:19 PM JST - 3rd December

While I'm sure these airguns certtainly don't have half the power of a "real" metal handgun, it looks like they can still inflict grievous bodily injury. And they're made of plastic. If you've managed to get one before they were recalled, hold on to it because it's sure to fecth a nice price on the black market for air terrorists.
Malavern at 06:26 PM JST - 3rd December

As a member of the community, i completely understand where you all are coming from. BUT, as an airsoft hobbyist, and working in the airsoft industry myself, your views are too 1 sided, and do not reflect the true nature of Airsoft as a sport/hobby.

Airsoft guns world wide have labels stating that these imitation toy guns are to be sold to ages 18 and above, but many retailers do not adhere to that rule.

At Zolt: Japan's law dictates that airsoft guns are not allowed to exceed 1.0 joules (293 fps) using 0.20g plastic pellets. Whereas in Hong Kong, where i live and work, our maximum legal limit is at 2 joules (464 fps) on 0.2g BBs. No where near as powerful as the lowest caliber real steel firearm would fire at a 100 times more powerful than an airsoft gun.

So unless airsoft guns are fired directly at an unprotected eye, then no "grievous bodily injury" will be suffered.

At Tabby8: Airsoft guns are considered to be toys as they are NOT made to be used with Metal BBs, even if they do fit, airsoft rifles were designed to be used with plastic BB pellets. Note: Little kids usually wont be able to get their hands on an airsoft gun by themselves, unless someone buys it for them. Note2: All airsoft guns come with a manual with a very large warning on the 1st page stating and depicting that you should treat airsoft guns like a real firearm. And any serious Airsoft hobbyist, myself included, would adhere to strict guidelines and rules when handling airsoft guns as if they were real firearms.

At Dennis0Bauer: What you saw was not an Airsoft gun. What you saw was an actual 4.5mm (0.77 Cal) gun that shoots copper/metal BBs. Unless an Airsoft gun has been modified way over the legal limit, there is no way it can shoot through a tin cookie can. at max legal limits (2 Joules) an Airsoft gun can only penetrate the bottom of a standard Coke can.

At BBLeo: Yes Kids ARE learning from Movies and Toys, but the real force behind their learning are their parents and the peer group around them. If at a young age they are taught to respect ALL guns, whether they be real steel firearms, or airsoft guns, or even toys guns; and are taught proper gun etiquette, then they should grow up with the knowledge that guns should not be used as a tool for killing but more for self defense.

There are many adults out there who shoot both real firearms and airsoft guns with the proper care and safety, who had grown up playing with guns.

Yes, an untrained person can cause serious harm on each other, including themselves when playing with airsoft guns if they are NOT wearing proper protection (i.e. Safety goggles). But if you, as a parent, older brother/sister, friend, or person concerned would just step out and teach them the proper safety and gun etiquette, then it'll decrease the possibility that the kids would go off on a shooting spree later on in life.

As borrowed from the great Oleg Volk: In 1900, any Englishman could own any modern weapon, yet crime was so rare that Bobbies seldom carried firearms.

Now, UK residents are disarmed, yet violent crime is so common that the cops carry submachine guns.

Finally to finish off this rather lengthy reply, another quote taken from Mr Volk: When a drunk driver kills somebody, we don't punish all wine drinkers.

yet some would punish all gun owners when some thug commits a murder.
FreeInJapan at 01:19 PM JST - 5th December

@ Malavern - My hat off you you friend, you summed up exactly everything I wanted to say and made my post for me! Well said!!
Nessie at 03:49 PM JST - 5th December

It's all fun and games until someone gets detained for two weeks without charge.
Nessie at 03:56 PM JST - 5th December

The Cassiopeia air guns are capable of shooting metal bullets and are as lethal as real handguns, they said

I'd call bullshit on this, but Malavern already has. Kyodo hasn't, but Kyodo's just a mouthpiece, so it's not surprising.

Anyway, if guns are being sold to over eighteens, then I think they should be banned, providing that legislation supports such a ban.