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Japanese bloke jailed for printing own gun

by on21 October 2014



This is not America

A Japanese bloke who forgot that he was not living in the US has been jailed after he used a 3D printer to make his own gun.

Yoshitomo Imura 28-year-old former university employee was sentenced today in Japan to two years in prison for manufacturing plastic 3D-printed firearms in violation of national weapons laws. Imura is said to have created at least two plastic guns at his home in Kawaski, Japan, that were capable of firing bullets. He appears to be the first person in world history to receive a jail sentence for making 3D-printed firearms.

He was arrested in May after posting videos and blueprints of his 3D-printed weapons online. Police reportedly seized five plastic weapons from his home. As far as investigation was concerned, the police simply spotted a video uploaded to file-sharing websites almost a year ago, created by Imura, showing the creation and firing of a 3D-printed "Zig Zag" revolver capable of firing six .38 calibre bullets.

While the prosecution in Imura's case called for a three-and-a-half year prison sentence, the judge old Imura, saying he "flaunted his skills and knowledge and attempted to make gun controls toothless." 

If he had done this in the US they would probably be erecting a statue to him, but Japan has strict gun regulations.

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