Criminal Statistics by the National Police Agency show the composition of sentences in ordinary first instances on Firearms and Swords Law violations involving guns(referring to handguns, rifles, machine guns and cannons for the purpose of this section), live ammunition for handguns, and handgun parts. A total of192persons were sentenced to imprisonment with labor, including51persons for whom the execution of sentence was suspended(that is,73.4%received sentences without parole). By type of incident, "possession of a handgun and live ammunition"accounted for123persons(64.1%, including116persons convicted for"multiple possession")and"simple possession of a handgun"accounted for33persons(17.2%). By term of imprisonment,45.3%of the convicts were sentenced to three years or more but less than five years,32.8%for one year or more but less than three years,14.6%for five years or more but less than seven years, and4.2%for seven years or more but less than ten years.
  In 1998,22persons saw their punishment reduced for surrendering the handgun to the police, etc. By term of imprisonment,7of them were sentenced to three years or more but less than five years, and4each for one year or more but less than three years and for five years or more but less than seven years.
  Fig. IV-29 shows the imprisonment terms with labor for those who were convicted by ordinary first instance courts for Firearms and Swords Law violations in the last ten years. More than70%of the convicts were sentenced to imprisonment of less than three years until1993. Since 1994,however, a majority of the convicts have been sentenced to imprisonment of three years or more, as a partial revision to the Firearms and Swords Law and Arms Production Law in1993substantially augmented statutory penalties for offenses involving handguns, etc.

Fig. IV-29 Terms of Imprisonment for Firearms and Swords Law Violations in Ordinary First Instance Courts (1989-1998)