Compare gun laws in different countries

See this article. In the US you pass an instant background check and then get a gun. In Japan these steps are necessary.

1. Take a firearm class and pass a written exam, which is held up to three times a year.  
2. Get a doctor’s note saying you are mentally fit and do not have a history of drug abuse.  
3. Apply for a permit to take firing training, which may take up to a month.  
4 . Describe in a police interview why you need a gun.  
5. Pass a review of your criminal history, gun possession record, employment, involvement with organized crime groups, personal debt and relationships with friends, family and neighbors.  
6. Apply for a gunpowder permit.
7. Take a one-day training class and pass a firing test.  
8. Obtain a certificate from a gun dealer describing the gun you want.  
9 . If you want a gun for hunting, apply for a hunting license.
10. Buy a gun safe and an ammunition locker that meet safety regulations.  
11. Allow the police to inspect your gun storage.  
12. Pass an additional background review.  
13. Buy a gun.

See the link for other country comparisons, all of which have far lower gun death rates than the US. Think there's a correlation here? If not, you're either an idiot of a paid lackey for the NRA.