Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TOKYO2531
2007-06-06 08:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
JAPAN ARRESTS MAN LINKED TO RED ARMY HIJACKERS
how-toVZCZCXRO6730 OO RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNH DE RUEHKO #2531 1570836 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 060836Z JUN 07 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4250 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 7303 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 1693 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 3362 RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA PRIORITY 1415 RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA PRIORITY 3844 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE PRIORITY 4977 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO PRIORITY 2275 RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG PRIORITY 0490 RHMCSUU/FBI WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAWJA/JUSTICE DEPT WASHDC PRIORITY RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUALSFJ/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA PRIORITY RUAGAAA/COMUSKOREA SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 4508 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 002531
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2016
TAGS: PTER PREL JA NK
SUBJECT: JAPAN ARRESTS MAN LINKED TO RED ARMY HIJACKERS
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 002531
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2016
TAGS: PTER PREL JA NK
SUBJECT: JAPAN ARRESTS MAN LINKED TO RED ARMY HIJACKERS
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D)
1. (C) Japanese police arrested Kuniya Akagi, a man linked to
the radical Red Army Faction, on June 5 upon his arrival at
Kansai International Airport in Osaka, MOFA Northeast Asia
Division Deputy Director Yutaka Kashiwabara confirmed to
Embassy Tokyo Political Officer June 6. Akagi had just
returned from Pyongyang, where he had been living for the
last 20 years. Police have, for the time being, charged
Akagi with violating Japan's passport law.
2. (U) According to Kyodo news reports, confirmed by
Kashiwabara, Japanese authorities plan to question Akagi
about three Japanese citizens who were abducted from Europe
to North Korea in the 1980's. Kuniya Akagi is the
brother-in-law of Shiro Akagi, one of the radical Red Army
Faction group members who hijacked a Japan Airlines jetliner
in March 1970 and forced it to land in the DPRK. (Note:
Kuniya Akagi's surname used to be Yonemura, but he changed it
to Akagi after marrying Shiro Akagi's sister.)
3. (C) Kashiwabara said that Japanese officials see no direct
connection between Akagi's return from North Korea and the
DPRK's desire to be removed from the U.S. list of state
sponsors of terror. Japanese authorities also believe
Akagi's return will have no direct effect on Six-Party
negotiations. MOFA expects that Akagi will be held by police
for several days, and then released. Kashiwabara, noting
that Akagi appears to have left the DPRK of his own free
will, observed that Tokyo officials are "always happy" to see
Japanese citizens return from North Korea.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2016
TAGS: PTER PREL JA NK
SUBJECT: JAPAN ARRESTS MAN LINKED TO RED ARMY HIJACKERS
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D)
1. (C) Japanese police arrested Kuniya Akagi, a man linked to
the radical Red Army Faction, on June 5 upon his arrival at
Kansai International Airport in Osaka, MOFA Northeast Asia
Division Deputy Director Yutaka Kashiwabara confirmed to
Embassy Tokyo Political Officer June 6. Akagi had just
returned from Pyongyang, where he had been living for the
last 20 years. Police have, for the time being, charged
Akagi with violating Japan's passport law.
2. (U) According to Kyodo news reports, confirmed by
Kashiwabara, Japanese authorities plan to question Akagi
about three Japanese citizens who were abducted from Europe
to North Korea in the 1980's. Kuniya Akagi is the
brother-in-law of Shiro Akagi, one of the radical Red Army
Faction group members who hijacked a Japan Airlines jetliner
in March 1970 and forced it to land in the DPRK. (Note:
Kuniya Akagi's surname used to be Yonemura, but he changed it
to Akagi after marrying Shiro Akagi's sister.)
3. (C) Kashiwabara said that Japanese officials see no direct
connection between Akagi's return from North Korea and the
DPRK's desire to be removed from the U.S. list of state
sponsors of terror. Japanese authorities also believe
Akagi's return will have no direct effect on Six-Party
negotiations. MOFA expects that Akagi will be held by police
for several days, and then released. Kashiwabara, noting
that Akagi appears to have left the DPRK of his own free
will, observed that Tokyo officials are "always happy" to see
Japanese citizens return from North Korea.
SCHIEFFER