I'm doing a research paper about Gun Control and would like to compare
and contrast Gun Control laws and their effects in an Industrilized
democracy (Japan) and an "Emerging" Democracy (Mexico). While it's
quite easy to find statistics and analysis on Japanese Gun control
(U.N. member countries have submitted to many formalized studies) I've
had a very little luck finding anything about mexico. The info I'm
most interested in is:
A.Historically what place have guns had in this state?
   1.Warfare
   2.Hunting
   3.Production/Industry
   4.Crime
B.Is the predominate view on gun control in this state "pro" or "con"?
   1.Popular Opinion Polls
   2.Trends in modern legislation
C.What effects has modern gun control legislation had in this state?
   1.Crime statistics
   2.Gun ownership statistics
   3.Gun accident statistics

If someone out there can find the answers to all/most of these
questions for Mexico and Japan I'd be very grateful.

While gathering statistics, don't overlook suicides by gunshot. In the USA,
these amount to about 50% of gun deaths, conveniently ignored by some.

Thanks for the tip about suicides, interstingly I found during my
inital research that coutries with strict gun control laws often times
had suicide rates that are as high or higher than the us, but they are
more often comitted by poison, jumping, or knife/sword wound.

Regarding accidental gun deaths, you may find it interesting that
accidental deaths at hospitals seem to far exceed accidental death by
gunshot wound(s).  Please see http://www.warroom.com/hospdeaths.htm
for a blurb attributed to Rep. Trafficant: "...accidental deaths
caused by doctors and hospitals in America reached 120,000 per year.
Meanwhile, gun deaths have dropped 35 percent. In fact, accidental gun
deaths dropped to 1,500 last year." [July 31, 2000]

Here are a few resources for firearms statistics in Mexico:

GunCite - Gun Control - International Homicide and Suicide Rates
http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_gcgvintl.html

United Nations International Study on Firearm Regulation
http://www.uncjin.org/Statistics/firearms/index.htm#data

Mexico/Consumer Laws/Leyes
http://www.natlaw.com/mexico/topical/consumer/stmxcs.htm

Ley Federal de Armas de Fuego y Explosivos. 11-I-1972. REFORMAS: 8
Aparecidas en: 23-XII-1974, 31-XII-1981, 8-II-1985, 3-I-1989,
27-XII-1993, 22-VII-1994, 21-XII-1995 y 24-XII-1998

American Law Sources On-Line (ALSO!)
http://www.lawsource.com/also/

Instituto de Investigaciones Juridicas.UNAM
http://www.juridicas.unam.mx/

Unidad de Documentación de Legislación y Jurisprudencia 
http://www.juridicas.unam.mx/infjur/leg/


Mexico has a general prohibition against firearms ownership. It is
illegal to enter Mexico with a gun or ammunition.

hlabadie-ga