http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/15/kerry-foreign-students-scared-of-guns-in-u-s/?hpt=hp_t2

yeah sure...

They want their own so they can turn it on us. 

The next headline from Kerry will be "Illegal immigrants are scared of American citizens with guns, they want their own."

He heard people talking about the "60 Minutes" story that Japanese are scared of American gun culture.
He heard it through the grapevine.

The article says that Japanese foreign students are down 14% in ALL countries. Not just the U.S.
Obviously due to economic reasons.

Stories like these are "clickbait". Take a controversial subject and hide it behind a commercial.
Every time somebody clicks on it, somebody gets paid. I am sorry I fell for this one.

Who cares?

These people always take the extreme farthest person they can find and make it seem like mainstream. And the media is on their side. Of course they throw in a weeping mother or two. Use liberal logic and voila..... a presidential candidate. This is the kind of things that make me say bad words.

In Japan, it's only Yakuza or police that have guns so there is a real negative stigma among Japanese about firearms. I think that stigma translates to our Japanese here (including legislators) that unless you're a cop, you're a yakuza if you own a gun.

Of course I'm generalizing and there are exceptions, but I think the 2nd amendment rights of citizens to bear arms in the constitution is ingeniously American.

Haven't I heard Japanese tourists love to go shooting at the Honolulu indoor ranges?

I saw several Japanese posing with guns at Sports Authority in Kona getting their picture taken.  They did not seem terrified?

In Japan, it's only Yakuza or police that have guns so there is a real negative stigma among Japanese about firearms. I think that stigma translates to our Japanese here (including legislators) that unless you're a cop, you're a yakuza if you own a gun.

Of course I'm generalizing and there are exceptions, but I think the 2nd amendment rights of citizens to bear arms in the constitution is ingeniously American.

Can't vouch for the yakuza, but can for the LEO.  Friends of my mom stayed over a while back.  The husband and wife were both LEO's.  They shoot once a year, that's it.  Showed them my stuff, too bad they didn't ask about it earlier or I'd have taken them to the range.  They were most definitely not scared of the firearms, in fact they paid a premium to shoot at one of the local indoor ranges.

As far as the culture being scared, I think that like here is only a segment.  Plenty of Japanese coming here are not scared and in fact try to add in shooting to their vacation plans.

It's like everything else I guess.............people tend to fear that which they know nothing about.

I don't know about Japenese Students but my mom's Japanese friends who come over to stay in their vacation houses for a couple months are not scared. I have one who wants to take a pic with a Arisaka T2 paratrooper rifle with some ammo -plus some other firearms. Another who would like me to take them to a range to shoot.

A couple of my cousins in Japan do own firearms. No they are not policemen or in the Yakuza. poor? No. They are not well off either.
They  hunt pheasants ,bears and wild pigs.
According to oneof my cousins, firearm ownership is strictly regulated though .Lots of paperwork and time.  Nothing at the homes.
Firearms are kept at their club/range locked when not in use.  They can use it at the range or hunting.
They cannot let any other person use their firearm. Even a the range.They cannot let anyone use their ammo. If they do they lose their firearms.
Ammo is very limited on what you an have.
You have to show use of the firearm. If you don't use a firearm in 1 year, you lose it.
Of course the police there can come into  any Japanese house to see" how you are doing" at least  once a year.

I think the Japanese tourists come here and try shooting firearms here because they cannot as readily do so in Japan.

Hypothetically, its kind of like eating a snake dish in China as a tourist even though you normally wouldn't do so here. Now if you normally eat a snake dish regularly in Hawaii, then people here would probably find you strange.

I think the Japanese tourists come here and try shooting firearms here because they cannot as readily do so in Japan.

Hypothetically, its kind of like eating a snake dish in China as a tourist even though you normally wouldn't do so here. Now if you normally eat a snake dish regularly in Hawaii, then people here would probably find you strange.

Well, duh!  Snakes are prohibited in Hawaii!!   

Years ago the Hawaii Visitors Bureau did a survey of Japanese tourists in Hawaii. According to the survey a significant number of them rated shooting a firearm at the top of their to do list, above golfing.

About a year or 2 later an organization claiming to represent the local tourist industry came out with a campaign to ban firearms in Hawaii under the guise of the need to protect tourists from firearm related crime. I did some calling around and finally got in touch with the spokeswoman in charge of the campaign. She turned out to be noting more than an angry anti-gun lunatic. She did not care what the HVB survey said nor the fact that the indoor ranges in Waikiki and in McCully were full of Japanese tourist willing to pay thru the nose just to fire a few rounds.

People with an anti gun agenda will glom onto anything to further their cause, truth be damned. 

I would fear Kerry more. 

Well, duh!  Snakes are prohibited in Hawaii!!   

Yah, I know that. That's why I used that example. 

Well if they're scared, maybe they should stay the f'k out of our country.

Well if they're scared, maybe they should stay the f'k out of our country.

+1

Bah. Kerry isn't entirely wrong but his characterization is inaccurate. At least according to the conversations I've had with many (and I mean many) non-Americans.

They aren't afraid of the guns. They are afraid of Americans. They think we are a people quick to violence, guns or no. They think we're predominantly John Wayne-esque rednecks or inner city gang bangers. Having only the products of Hollywood and our news media as lens to see us though, can you blame them?

Those that spend any amount of time in the States with Americans (as opposed to the Japanese scuba-like tour groups) are pleasantly surprised at how kind, reasonable and welcoming Americans are.

Say what?  John Wayne wasn't a redneck.  The Bandit was a redneck.

Haven't I heard Japanese tourists love to go shooting at the Honolulu indoor ranges?

I saw several Japanese posing with guns at Sports Authority in Kona getting their picture taken.  They did not seem terrified?

They sure do, that was my experience in Honolulu. The shooting galleries were a big hit with Japanese. I remember walking Waikiki with my wife and someone handed me a flyer for an overpriced shooting gallery. I smiled and said, "I live right outside of Detroit."

Well, duh!  Snakes are prohibited in Hawaii!!   

I hope it stays this way. I've read that some brown tree snakes have made it to Honolulu from Guam. I sincerely hope that they do not establish a population. One of the biggest attractions about visiting Hawaii for me is that I don't have to worry snakes or crocodiles.... one of the things I was definitely on the lookout for in South Africa