How did American tourist mistakenly bring gun into Japan despite airport screenings?

An American tourist in his 70s was recently arrested in Japan for possessing a handgun, which he had inadvertently brought with him in his suitcase along with ammunition. Though the case was later dropped, it begs the question: How did the firearm get through security checks at two airports?
The man departed from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Hawaii March 21 with his wife in her 80s. They arrived at Kansai International Airport in Osaka Prefecture the following day and stayed at a nearby hotel.
They planned to embark on a cruise from Kobe to visit various locations in Japan and Busan, South Korea. Their journey, however, was cut short after the discovery of the gun and three bullets the man had brought with him.
Regularly carried pistol for self-defense
The man found the handgun and ammunition in his suitcase when he opened it at the hotel, and reported it to cruise staff. After receiving the report via port officials, Hyogo Prefectural Police's Kobe Suijo Police Station arrested him on March 24 on suspicion of violating Japan's firearms and swords control law.
He had thrown the ammunition into a cruise terminal trash bin, fearing harsher penalties if they were found with the gun.
The man apparently carried the pistol on a regular basis for self-defense in the United States, keeping it in a leopard-print fabric pouch. This pouch was packed in his checked suitcase for the flight from Hawaii to Japan. During questioning, he reportedly told the prefectural police that he brought it by mistake and that he knew guns are regulated in Japan.
Still, the question remains why the gun was not detected during security checks before his departure from Hawaii or upon his arrival in Japan.
According to Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, countries that have ratified the Convention on International Civil Aviation set by the United Nations, including Japan, are required to conduct security checks before departure to prevent hijackings and other forms of terrorism.
The bodies responsible for these checks vary by country, and in Japan, they are carried out by airlines or contracted security companies. Here, luggage is examined using X-rays and other methods to detect items that may explode, ignite or be used as weapons. Bringing dangerous items aboard an aircraft violates the Civil Aeronautics Act, and can be punished by up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 1 million yen (about $7,000).
Security checks before flights
As the United States has also ratified the convention, an official at Japan's transport ministry expressed confusion, saying, "Handguns should not be able to make it onto a Japan-bound aircraft."
A U.S. Transportation Security Administration officer at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport expressed sympathy for the man who was arrested. According to them, items prohibited on flights are explained when passengers check in luggage at airline counters at airports in the U.S. The officer added that there must have been warnings since the man was traveling to a country like Japan where firearms are banned, and that he might not have declared it because he didn't realize the gun was in his luggage.
The officer emphasized that all luggage is checked using X-rays and other means. But approximately 6,600 pistols are seized annually at U.S. airports, indicating that many reach security checkpoints. The man's case is an example of how firearms somehow go unnoticed.
Professor Hajime Tozaki of J.F. Oberlin University, an expert on airport policies, commented, "Security checks before boarding flights are the are the most important, and the risk of hijacking and terrorism increases if they aren't thorough."
He acknowledged that high volumes of luggage and insufficiently trained staff could lead to security oversights. Although pre-flight security has become stricter globally due to frequent terrorist incidents, inspection methods differ by country. The gun and ammunition may have evaded detection by being obscured among other items in the recent case.
Security checks in Japan
Can Japanese airport inspections miss firearms? Tozaki stated, "Since the plane arrived safely, there isn't much attention paid to dangerous items."
At Kansai International Airport, where the man with the gun arrived, luggage inspections are conducted. However, according to Osaka Customs, the basic procedure for inspecting travelers from overseas involves verifying declared possessions. In some cases, X-ray screening or visual checks are performed, but apparently not all luggage is examined. A customs spokesperson acknowledged, "It's true that a handgun passed through Kansai airport, but we refrain from commenting on individual cases."
Measures needed for a tourism-oriented nation
Tozaki commented, "In this case, the man was unaware that he had brought a gun with him, and he probably didn't act suspiciously. Since it was not declared, it likely went unnoticed at Kansai airport." However, with global tensions rising due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip, he cautioned, "There is a significant possibility that intentional firearm smuggling could increase in the future. The question is how can we prevent it."
Kansai International Airport plays a key role as the main gateway for international travelers visiting Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. As the airport is a crucial hub for Japan, which seeks to attract more inbound tourists, Tozaki stressed the need for heightened vigilance regarding the smuggling of dangerous items.
He further stated, "Urgent measures may be necessary such as increasing the number of inspectors, with the national government providing financial support for these expenses. The recent case of the pistol should be recognized as an issue that affects Japan's reputation as it aims to become a tourism-oriented nation."

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