Carrying a Pistol but Passing Airport 'Safely'... American Tourist's Voluntary Report Causes Uproar

Controversy Grows Over Security Lapses at Hawaii and Kansai Airports
Handgun in Luggage Goes Undetected Until Voluntary Report
Incident Raises Concerns Ahead of Osaka-Kansai Expo

An American tourist visiting Japan sparked controversy after entering the country with a handgun in their luggage and later voluntarily reporting it. Concerns are growing as it has been confirmed that airport security at both Hawaii and Japanese airports failed to detect the tourist's handgun.

Pistol image (This photo is not directly related to the article). Pixabay

According to local media including NHK on the 2nd, the American tourist A (73) boarded a cruise ship at Kobe Port Terminal on the 23rd of last month and voluntarily reported to staff that there was a handgun in their bag. Port officials reported the matter to the police, and A was arrested on charges of violating the Firearms and Swords Control Law.

A departed from Honolulu Airport in Hawaii on the 21st of last month and arrived at Kansai International Airport on the 22nd. After staying one night at a hotel in the Osaka area, A realized on the morning of the 23rd while packing that a self-defense handgun was in the bag.

However, A did not report immediately and moved to Kobe Port Terminal for the cruise trip. A removed three live rounds from the loaded handgun and discarded them in a trash bin in the terminal restroom, then boarded the cruise ship carrying the empty handgun. The cruise was scheduled to sail around western Japan and Busan, South Korea.

During police investigation, A stated, "I accidentally put the self-defense handgun in the bag and realized it at the Osaka hotel," and "I thought the crime would be more serious if I possessed the handgun and bullets together, so I discarded the bullets." The police later recovered the three bullets from the terminal restroom trash bin.

Locally, concerns and criticisms about airport security checks continue. This incident has become even more controversial as it occurred about a month before the opening of the Osaka-Kansai Expo. Local police are investigating the details, reporting that A passed security checks at both Hawaii Airport and Kansai Airport while carrying the travel bag containing the handgun.