Very realistic looking, but fake, guns for sale in Akihabara.The Japanese are inordinately proud of the fact that most of them don't have guns, and many erroneously believe that guns are illegal to possess. The truth is that people can and do own hunting guns, but hand guns are not allowed. Regardless, guns (and gun violence) fascinate a lot of Japanese men and this is one reason that American crime dramas like "24" and "Prison Break" are so popular, and that action movies are so big here (especially "Die Hard" and anything with Arnold Schwarzenegger). There are also a lot of extremely realistic pellet and air guns for sale in shops in various areas (particularly in Akihabara) and they must be being sold to someone. You get the strong sense that there would be a lot of handgun ownership in Japan if it were legal, not that Japanese people are so disinterested in having them because of their innate peaceful nature.
I won't miss the hypocrisy of loving gun violence while decrying the possession of guns in America.
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