Originally Posted by Jensen

USA - 311 million - 88 guns per 100 - 12000 people killed

Japan - 127 million - 0.6 guns per 100 - 11 people killed

If you want to own a gun in Japan you have to pass a written test held only once a month, pass a test at a shootingrange, visit the hospital to pass a mental and drugtest. After that, the police will do a checkup and approve/deny. Handguns are strictly banned so we are talking about hunting rifles and airguns only. Police will inspect the weapon once a year and you have to repeat the tests every 3 years.

(numbers are picked up from a newspaper and I haven't checked so flame away)