Need to know more about crime in Japan to reach a conclusion on guns vs. no guns.
I’ve heard that the cops and legal system are tough on suspects.
In short, no.
The commingling of weaponry with national identify and culture basically renders impotent the application of any other nation's gun policies to America.
On an oversimplified basis, America's culture is embodied by the cowboy...a rugged individual who protects himself and his family first with a firearm. The cowboy represents that bottom's up approach to protection that most normal Americans retain, and defend strongly.
Japan's culture is embodied by the samurai, which is NOT a common individual protecting his family but basically were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan. The Japanese, in general, do NOT hold strong individualistic tendencies for personal protection - culturally, it's a job for their overlords.
Individualist Americans look at Japan and think they're wimps for not arming themselves. Japanese folks watch America and think we're bloodthirsty individuals who refuse the generosity of our overlords' protection. This is a very BROAD generalization - and of course we Americans are right(!) - but you get the idea.
Buy the book...it's worth it.