Interesting, isn't it? Can you start to understand why so many europeans think there is something wrong with america? We beat out Mexico, for christ sake! Note the factor of more than 280 between the US and Japan.

I honestly don't care what europeans think of us anymore. Over time I feel as if criticism from them comes at us merely because we are a big target (kinda like Microsoft) and not because we do anything wrong.

you gave a choice:

"Our gun laws are rediculously lax"
or
"Americans cant be trusted with guns"

while the phrasing is slightly loaded (forgive the pun) I would choose the second one "American culture does not handle guns that well".

I think us as americans are a little more "outgoing" than in other cultures, and unfortunately, so are our criminals. An american criminal sees he has a gun and sees power and oportunity, and takes it. However culture changes over time, even as we speak! The murder rate is droping and is at a 40 year low (and that is what we are really talking about right? its not that someone was murdered by a gun, it was that someone was murdered) Heres a link:http://www.washtimes.com/specialreport/20031005-120017-7049r.htm

while in GB, it on the rise (ok this one detail guns deaths): http://www.guardian.co.uk/gun/Story/0,2763,1056412,00.html and who has more government controls than GB? Very stringent gun laws and cameras on every streat corner! a Quote from the article:
Although much of the blame has fallen on trends in music and fashion, particularly within the black community, which have helped to glamourise weapons, the problem is now spreading into other sectors of society.

It seems to have more do do with culture.

Meanwhile cultures in Korea and Japan are on the other end of the spectrum and hyper conservative (traditional conservative, not american conservative) and don't like to stray openly from what is normal.

another thing I would like to add is that one is an island and the other may as well be with ocean on three sides and the worlds most heavily defended border to the north, its far easier to control what comes in or out of these countries. Then again so is Great Britan. . . hmmm. . . even then we are left with culture as the major factor.

While we are at it though heres a link you could use in your argument: http://www.instapundit.com/archives/011838.php it deals with the relative ease of fashioning your own weapon. So what if the government takes all the gun? make your own! it seems to say. We could have all the gun control we want and those who really want them can still have thier way. It reminds me of how silly the high capacity magazine laws were. . . they are only really simple peices of stamped metal. . . c'mon.