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{{Short description|Japanese communist and member of the Japanese Red Army}}
{{Use dmymdy dates|date=MayJuly 20222024}}
 
{{Infobox person
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| caption = Kōzō Okamoto (left) and [[Fusako Shigenobu]], leader of the [[Japanese Red Army]] at a press conference
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|12|7|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Kumamoto]], Japan
| death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) -->
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{{Nihongo|'''Kōzō Okamoto'''|岡本 公三|''Okamoto Kōzō''|extra=born 7 December 7, 1947}} is a Japanese [[Communism|communist]], former[[Mass militantmurder|mass murderer]], and member of the [[Japanese Red Army]] (JRA), responsible for the [[Lod Airport massacre|massacre of 26 passengers]] at [[Ben-Gurion International Airport]] in [[Israel]].
 
==Biography==
Kozo Okamoto is the youngest child of a school principal. His older brother is Takeshi Okamoto, a member of the [[Red Army Faction (Japan)|Red Army Faction]], which hijacked an airliner in [[Japan Air Lines Flight 351|March 1970]] to North Korea. He was a 24-year-old botany student from a middle-class family when he was recruited to the Japanese Red Army.<ref>LaPierre (1999), p. 202.</ref>{{full citation needed|date=August 2024}} He was later detained in [[Lebanon]]. During his stay in Lebanon, Okamoto converted to [[Islam]].<ref>{{Cite webnews |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/681569.stm | title=Red Army guerrillas arrested |publisherwork=[[BBC.com News]] |date=18 March 18, 2000 |accessdateaccess-date=6 September 6, 2011}}</ref> He is wanted by the government of Japan for his activities with the Red Army and was imprisoned by Israel for his involvement in the [[Lod Airport massacre]].
 
==Lod Airport massacre==
{{Main articles|Lod Airport massacre}}
On 30 May 30, 1972, Kōzō Okamoto along with Yasuyuki Yasuda, and [[Tsuyoshi Okudaira]], arrivedlanded at Israel's [[Lod Airport]] in [[Tel Aviv]], via [[Air France]] Flight 132 from [[Rome]].<ref{{sfn|Schreiber|1996|p=215}} The name="Schreiber1996" in Okamoto's forged passport was [[Daisuke Nanba|Daisuke Namba]], Crown Prince Hirohito's would be assassin.<ref>{{citeCite news book|authordate=MarkMay 31, 2022 Schreiber|title=ShockingKozo crimesOkamoto's long life after Israel ofsuicide postwarmission Japan|url=https://bookswww.googlefrance24.com/books?id=fqFyA8_NzPwCen/live-news/20220531-kozo-okamoto-s-long-life-after-israel-suicide-mission |accessdateaccess-date=November 6, September2023 2011|yearwork=1996|publisher=Tuttle[[France 24]] Publishing|isbnlanguage=978-4-900737-34-1|page=215en}}</ref> After disembarking from the plane the three members of the JRA proceeded to the baggage claim area. Upon retrieving their luggage, they took out automatic weapons packed inside the suitcases and opened fire on other passengers in the baggage claim area.
 
The attack was a joint operation of the [[Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – External Operations]] (PFLP-EO), and the [[Japanese Red Army]]. The idea behind the joint effort was for the JRA to carry out attacks for the PLFP, and ''[[vice versa]]'', in order to reduce suspicion. The plan worked, as Okamoto and his comrades attracted little attention prior to their attack.
 
Okamoto and his comrades killed 26 people and wounded 80 more. Seventeen of the victims were Christian pilgrims from Puerto Rico.<ref name="Kowner">{{cite news |first=Rotem |last=Kowner |date=May 27, 2022 |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2022-05-27/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/the-strange-story-of-the-terrorists-behind-the-israel-airport-massacre/00000181-0661-dcf3-a395-3fe1d10f0000 |title=The Strange Story of the Japanese Terrorists Behind the '72 Israel Airport Massacre |work=[[Haaretz]]}}</ref>
They killed 26 people and injured 71 others. Yasuyuki Yasuda was accidentally shot dead by one of the other attackers. Tsuyoshi Okudaira was killed by one of his own grenades, either due to premature detonation or a suicide. Kōzō Okamoto was wounded and captured trying to escape the terminal.<ref>Schreiber, p. 215</ref> The attack became known as the [[Lod Airport massacre]].▼
 
▲They killed 26 people and injured 71 others. Yasuyuki Yasuda was accidentally shot dead by one of the other attackers. Tsuyoshi Okudaira was killed by one of his own grenades, either due to premature detonation or a suicide. Kōzō Okamoto was wounded and captured trying to escape the terminal.<ref>{{sfn|Schreiber, |1996|p. =215</ref> The attack became known as the [[Lod Airport massacre]].}}
 
==Trial and release==
Okamoto was triedput on trial in an Israeli military court under the 1948 Emergency Regulations. His court-appointed lawyers were Max Kritzman and David Rotlevy. Chicago-born and British-trained; Kritzman, who was chief lawyer, had experience defending Israelis charged under the Emergency Regulations. Of Okamoto, he complained that "this man will not cooperate."<ref>{{cite magazine| |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,906148-2,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106210438/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,906148-2,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=6 November 6, 2012 | magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |title=ISRAEL: Terrorist on Trial | date=24 July 24, 1972}}</ref> Okamoto pleaded guilty, ensuring that he did not get sentenced to death. He also protested his attorneys' requests for a psychiatric evaluation. In his final statement he told the court: "When I was a child, I was told that when people died they became stars...We three Red Army soldiers wanted to become Orion when we died."<ref name="Kowner"/>
 
Okamoto was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in Israel. During the incarceration it is said that, he requested to convert to [[Judaism]], and that he tried to [[Circumcision|circumcise]] himself with [[nail clippers]].<ref>{{cite webnews |title=How the terrorist who attacked Israel's main airport escaped the death penalty |newspaper=[[Haaretz]] |url=http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/the-makings-of-history/how-the-terrorist-who-attacked-israel-s-main-airport-escaped-the-death-penalty.premium-1.436586 |accessdateaccess-date =24 September 24, 2012}}</ref> OnHe 23stated Julythat 1973,he PFLPwas andtortured JRAduring operativeshis hijacked [[Japan Air Lines Flight 404]]imprisonment, demandingbeing Okamoto's"forced releaseto ineat exchangelike fora thedog" hostagesand onemerged board;from Israel refused toimprisonment complyemaciated.<ref>{{Cite Okamotoweb was released in 1985 after 13 years in prison, as part of the [[Jibril Agreement]], a prisoner exchange with Palestinian|title=Japanese militant factionsKozo forOkamoto captivemarks Israeli1972 soldiers.attack After his release from prison inon Israel, Kōzōairport Okamoto|url=https://www.arabnews.jp/en/japan/article_73115/ moved|access-date=November to [[Libya]]6, then2023 [[Syria]],|website=Arab andNews finallyJapan to|language=en}}</ref> [[Lebanon]] where he reunited with other members of the Japanese Red Army.
 
On July 20, 1973, PFLP and JRA operatives hijacked [[Japan Air Lines Flight 404]],<ref>{{cite news |title=3 seize jet with 145 aboard, order it flown to Mideast |work=[[The Chicago Tribune]] |date=July 21, 1973 |pages=1–2}}</ref> demanding Okamoto's release in exchange for the hostages on board; Israel refused to comply. Okamoto was released in 1985 after 13 years in prison, as part of the [[Jibril Agreement]], a prisoner exchange with Palestinian militant factions for captive Israeli soldiers. After his release from prison in Israel, Kōzō Okamoto moved to [[Libya]], then [[Syria]], and finally to [[Lebanon]] where he reunited with other members of the Japanese Red Army.
==Transfer to Lebanon==▼
On 15 February 1997, [[Lebanon]] detained five Red Army members, [[Haruo Wakō]], [[Masao Adachi]], Mariko Yamamoto, [[Kazuo Tohira]] and Okamoto for using forged passports and visa violations. They were sentenced to three years in prison. The sentence was passed by Judge Soheil Abdul-Shams on 31 July 1997. After their prison term was completed, the four other members of the JRA were forcibly deported to Jordan and from Amman, Jordan via a chartered Russian plane to Japan. The Lebanese government, however, granted political asylum to Okamoto because, according to the Lebanese government, he "had participated in resistance operations against Israel and had been tortured in Israeli jails."<ref name="jra">{{cite news| title =Japanese Red Army member Okamoto wants to return to Japan| publisher =Lebanonwire.| date =6 May 2003| url =http://www.lebanonwire.com/0305/03050601KDO.asp| accessdate =6 September 2011| url-status =dead| archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20111127205715/http://lebanonwire.com/0305/03050601KDO.asp| archivedate =27 November 2011}}</ref>▼
 
▲==TransferAsylum toin Lebanon==
Okamoto is still wanted by the Japanese government and Japan has requested his [[extradition]].<ref>Press Conference The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan 21 March 2000</ref> {{as of|2016}}, he was reported to be living in a refugee camp near [[Beirut]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/12/25/national/crime-legal/japanese-red-army-member-okamoto-living-calmly-lebanon-refugee-camp|title=Japanese Red Army member Kozo Okamoto living quietly in Lebanon refugee camp|date=26 December 2016|work=The Japan Times|accessdate=29 January 2017}}</ref>▼
▲On 15 February 15, 1997, [[Lebanon]] detained five Red Army members, [[Haruo Wakō]], [[Masao Adachi]], Mariko Yamamoto, [[Kazuo Tohira]] and Okamoto for using forged passports and visa violations. They were sentenced to three years in prison. The sentence was passed by Judge Soheil Abdul-Shams on 31 July 31, 1997. After their prison term was completed, the four other members of the JRA were forcibly deported to [[Jordan]] and from [[Amman]], Jordan via a chartered Russian plane to Japan. The Lebanese government, however, granted political asylum to Okamoto because, according to the Lebanese government, he "had participated in resistance operations against Israel and had been tortured in Israeli jails."<ref name="jra">{{cite news | title =Japanese Red Army member Okamoto wants to return to Japan | publisher =Lebanonwire. | date =6 May 6, 2003 | url =http://www.lebanonwire.com/0305/03050601KDO.asp| accessdate |access-date=6 September 6, 2011 | url-status =dead| archiveurl |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127205715/http://lebanonwire.com/0305/03050601KDO.asp| archivedate |archive-date=27 November 27, 2011}}</ref>
In May 2017, Okamoto gave an interview to the ''[[Mainichi Shimbun]]'' in Beirut. He said "I want to return to Japan once".<ref>[https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20170531/p2a/00m/0na/011000c Wanted Japanese Red Army member maintains 1972 airport attack wasn't terrorism] - Mainich News Paper (16 November 2019)</ref>▼
 
▲Okamoto is still wanted by the Japanese governmentpolice and Japan has requested his [[extradition]].<ref>Press Conference The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan 21 March 21, 2000</ref> {{as of|2016}}, he was reported to be living in a refugee camp near [[Beirut]].<ref>{{cite webnews |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/12/25/national/crime-legal/japanese-red-army-member-okamoto-living-calmly-lebanon-refugee-camp |title=Japanese Red Army member Kozo Okamoto living quietly in Lebanon refugee camp |date=26 December 26, 2016 |work=[[The Japan Times]] |accessdateaccess-date=29 January 29, 2017}}</ref>
On 30 May 2022, Okamoto appeared at a ceremony in Beirut marking the 50th anniversary of the attack, laying a wreath on the graves of his fellow JRA commandos and posing for photos with PFLP supporters.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Agencies and TOI staff |title=With last gunman, Palestinian terrorists in Beirut mark 50 years since Lod massacre |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-in-beirut-mark-50-years-since-lod-airport-terror-massacre/ |access-date=2022-05-31 |website=www.timesofisrael.com |language=en-US}}</ref>▼
 
▲In May 2017, Okamoto gave an interview to the ''[[Mainichi Shimbun]]'' in Beirut. He said "I want to return to Japan once".<ref>[{{cite news |url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20170531/p2a/00m/0na/011000c |title=Wanted Japanese Red Army member maintains 1972 airport attack wasn't terrorism] -|work=[[Mainichi MainichShimbun]] News|date=November Paper (16 November, 2019)}}</ref>
 
▲On 30 May 30, 2022, Okamoto appeared at a ceremony in Beirut marking the 50th anniversary of the attack, laying a wreath on the graves of his fellow JRA commandosmilitants and posing for photos with PFLP supporters.<ref>{{Cite webnews |last=Agencies and TOI staff |title=With last gunman, Palestinian terrorists in Beirut mark 50 years since Lod massacre |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-in-beirut-mark-50-years-since-lod-airport-terror-massacre/ |access-date=2022-05-May 31, 2022 |websitework=www.timesofisrael.com[[Times of Israel]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
 
==See also==
{{Portal|Japan|Lebanon|Biography}}
*[[Aharon Katzir]], recipient of the Israeli Prize in life science, one of the Lod Airport massacre victims
*[[Fusako Shigenobu]], communist leader of the terrorist group, the [[Japanese Red Army]].
 
==References==
{{Reflist}}
 
===Works cited===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |first=Mark |last=Schreiber |title=Shocking crimes of postwar Japan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fqFyA8_NzPwC |access-date=September 6, 2011 |year=1996 |publisher=Tuttle Publishing |isbn=978-4-900737-34-1}}
{{refend}}
 
==External links==
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[[Category:1947 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]▼
[[Category:Japanese Muslims]]
[[Category:Converts to Islam]]
[[Category:Japan–State of Palestine relations]]▼
[[Category:Japanese mass murderers]]
[[Category:PeopleJapanese convicted of murder by IsraelMuslims]]
[[Category:Palestine Liberation Organization]]▼
[[Category:Japanese people imprisoned abroad]]
[[Category:Japanese people convicted of murder]]
[[Category:PrisonersJapanese andpeople detaineesimprisoned of Lebanonabroad]]
[[Category:PeopleJapanese fromprisoners Kumamotosentenced Prefectureto life imprisonment]]
[[Category:Japanese Red Army]]
▲[[Category:Japan–State of Palestine relations]]
▲[[Category:Living people]]
▲[[Category:Palestine Liberation Organization]]
[[Category:People convicted of murder by Israel]]
[[Category:People from Kumamoto Prefecture]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of Lebanon]]
[[Category:Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Israel]]
 
[[sv:Japanska röda armén#Medlemmar]]
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