Article title: Japanese Mayor Shot Dead
Source: Reuters
Newspaper: Sydney Morning Herald online
Published: 6:17am, April 18, 2007
Downloaded from http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/japanese-mayor-shot-dead/2007/04/18/1176696867501.html at9.15am on April 18, 2007.
Nagasaki's mayor Icho Ito, aged 61, was shot twice at his campaign office around 8pm. His shooter is alleged to be a senior member of the Yamaguchi-gumi, Tesuya Shiroo, aged 59. Icho Ito died at 2.28am. The shooting is alleged to be in regard to the city's handling of a traffic incident involving Shiroo four years ago. The news screened on national television late last night and was commented on by Prime Minister Abe.
Some questions:
(1) What are the laws governing firearm possession in Japan? How do they compare with those in other countries?
(2) What is the Yamaguchi-gumi?
(3) Was this a politically motivated assassination?
(4) What other shootings have occured in the last ten years similar to this one in Japan or in another country?
(5) How was the shooting represented in papers around the world? What were the differences and similarities?
(6) Is it possible to draw out a comparison/contrast between this shooting and the shootings at Virginia Tech? In what way might you research and compare them, and toward what end with regard to Policy Studies?
