By DAICHI ITAKURA/ Staff Writer
August 10, 2025 at 07:00 JST
A “toy” gun marked with “For ages 12 and up.” The National Police Agency determined it is a lethal weapon. (Photo provided by the National Police Agency)
Police issued a public safety alert after discovering “toy” guns being distributed as prizes in arcade crane games are just as lethal as the real thing.
The National Police Agency is now working to locate and recover an estimated 16,000 of the Chinese-made devices.
It warned that possession constitutes a violation of the nation’s swords and firearms control law. In a public appeal on July 17, authorities urged anyone in possession of the guns to promptly turn them in at their local police station.
Handgun possession is strictly regulated in Japan and, in principle, prohibited. Unauthorized ownership is subject to arrest and criminal penalties.
Police say the devices can deliver the same lethal force as real handguns. They are being distributed as prizes in claw machines, also known in Japan as “UFO catchers,” a popular arcade game commonly found in amusement centers, shopping malls and game arcades.
According to the National Police Agency, the products are labeled “For ages 12 and up” and come with eight plastic bullets.
However, forensic analysis revealed that they share the same internal structure as firearms capable of discharging live rounds and possess equivalent firepower to handguns regulated under Japan’s firearm laws.
In May, a joint investigation by the Hyogo prefectural police and Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department led to a raid on a residence in Hyogo Prefecture, where “toy” guns were discovered. Further investigation into the supply chain revealed that a Japanese importer had brought in approximately 15,800 units for use as prizes in crane games.
The guns were subsequently distributed to 78 retailers across 31 prefectures. As of July 16, around 450 of them had been recovered, but the rest are believed to still be in circulation. The NPA issued a warning and is urging continued vigilance.
Separately, authorities have identified 16 additional models of similarly dangerous “toy” guns being sold on online shopping platforms.
‘Toy’ handguns sold online turn out to be lethal weapons
April 26, 2025
Deadly Thai mall shooting exposes murky trade in blank handguns that are turned into lethal weapons
October 6, 2023
Posting online videos of how to make a gun to be made illegal
December 22, 2023
Suspect in Abe slaying may face raft of additional firearms charges
December 30, 2022
Police in fix on applying gun law for weapon used to kill Abe in July
November 9, 2022
A peek through the music industry’s curtain at the producers who harnessed social media to help their idols go global.
A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.
Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
