America is the Epitome of a Heterogeneous Nation

Due to the circumstances of its founding, America is the only nation that permits individuals to own pistols (including firearms) under its constitution. In terms of economics, meritocracy and performance-based principles are thoroughly enforced. Put simply, seniors take the best of what their juniors have achieved, while juniors outmaneuver their seniors to improve their own performance.

Japan has also been influenced by this American-style capitalism, but recently, more companies are re-recognizing the importance of lifetime employment, and the merits of Japanese-style management with a human touch are being seriously re-evaluated. It's almost too late to realize this. The biggest difference between American and Japanese society boils down to whether individuals carry weapons or not. Thoroughly self-centered and individualistic America permits the possession of pistols to protect one's own life.

America's Conscientious Class is Suppressed by the Government

Of course, there are those in America who oppose the backwardness and pre-modernity of carrying pistols in one's bag for self-protection. Some states have decided against it. Washington State is one such example, where some citizens filed lawsuits against allowing citizens to carry pistols (firearms). In fact, the capital, Washington D.C., prohibits the possession of pistols in homes by ordinance. A conclusion was recently reached: the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that gun ownership is lawful.

The National Rifle Association, which wields overwhelming influence in politics, and other pistol proponents are overjoyed. A society where pistols are commonplace in every home, and where the trigger is pulled at the slightest perceived danger, regardless of whether it's a developed or developing country, can only be described as a source of anxiety. It means living with the constant danger of being shot at any moment.

Japan Causes a Stir Over Knife Regulations; What Do Americans Think?

In Japan, following the indiscriminate stabbing incident in Akihabara, Tokyo, involving large knives (dagger knives), the entire nation is in an uproar over knife regulations. The National Police Agency is considering revising the Swords and Firearms Control Law to include regulations on dagger knives, and local governments have already implemented restrictions through their own ordinances. For America, where firearm ownership is a freedom, Japan's actions—treating mere knives as a social issue—are likely perceived as unbelievable.

No one can deny the merits of a prosperous and free America, but an environment where 'bang bang' with pistols is the norm is seen as 'abnormal' by countries other than America. President Bush, mired in the quagmire of the Iraq War, may have been led to war by the ease with which weapons were used. Foreign tourists visiting Japan consistently remark, 'Japan is a safe country.' This is an invaluable asset for Japan. I hope you will take another look at this aspect of America, the land where pistols walk.