May 24, 2021 (bangkokpost.com) - Some of the world's toughest gun-control laws are posing unusual problems at the Tokyo Olympics, from the coach who can't touch a firearm to strict limits on ammunition.
For Goran Maksimovic, the extent of Japan's restrictions only became clear when he arrived to coach the national team and found he couldn't lay a finger on a gun, let alone fire one.
"I was very surprised in the beginning," said the Serb, a 10m air rifle gold-medallist at the Seoul 1988 Olympics.
"It's very difficult for the coach because sometimes you need to check that the trigger is clear, or check the weight of the trigger or help the shooter to adjust some parts," he added.
Just 500 people can own an air pistol in Japan, whose history of controlling guns and other weapons dates back hundreds of years.
Today, Japan's gun laws are among the strictest in the world, and annual deaths from firearms in the country of 125 million people are regularly in single figures.
Getting a gun licence is a long and complicated process even for Japanese citizens, who must first get a recommendation from a shooting association and then undergo strict police checks.
It is even more difficult for foreigners, with Maksimovic having to use Japanese assistants as intermediaries when he is coaching the shooting team.
