Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump (R) at Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 17, 2016. (Cabinet Public Relations Office)
In Japan, gun homicides are so rare the likelihood of dying by firearm is equal to an American’s chance of being killed by lightning.
Still, President Donald Trump encourages people to look to guns as a means of protection. In a speech Monday, a "mental health problem" not a "guns problem." But Japan has almost eradicated gun crime in the country by putting requirements on gun sales that are similar to driver's tests.
To own a gun in the country, a citizen must attend an all-day class and perform at least 95 percent on a shooting-range test, as well as pass a written exam. They're also required to pass drug tests and mental health tests. In 2014 there were just six gun deaths in Japan, while there were 33,599 in the United States. At the same time, off-duty police aren't permitted to carry their firearm, and when they must subdue a suspect, they use a combination of martial arts or striking weapons, Business Insider reported.
Still, Trump wants to see more guns.
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