FEB 23 TERRORIST INCIDENTS IN JAPAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 03087


E.O.12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: MARR PTER JA
SUBJECT: FEB 23 TERRORIST INCIDENTS IN JAPAN


1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.


2. EMBASSY IS AWARE OF AT LEAST THREE TERRORIST
INCIDENTS WHICH HAVE OCCURRED IN THE GREATER TOKYO
AREA MORNING OF FEBRUARY 23. ONE INCIDENT WAS
DIRECTED AGAINST A U.S. NAVY HOUSING FACILITY IN
YOKOHAMA.


3. COMNAVFORJAPAN NOTIFIED EMBASSY THAT AT
APPROXIMATELY 0615 FEBRUARY 23 THERE WAS A MAKESHIFT
MORTAR ATTACK DIRECTED AT THE U.S. NAVY NEGISHI
HOUSING COMPOUND IN YOKOHAMA. THERE WERE NO INJURIES
REPORTED. INITIAL REPORTS INDICATED THREE PROJECTILES
IMPACTED INSIDE THE FACILITY. THE NAVY IS REPORTING
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT IN SEPARATE CHANNELS.


4. THE OTHER TWO INCIDENTS OF WHICH WE ARE AWARE
OCCURED AT THE JAPAN AIR SELF DEFENSE FORCE BASE AT
FUCHU AND AT NARITA AIRPORT. INFORMATION IS SKETCHY
IN BOTH INCIDENTS, THOUGH THE NARITA INCIDENT ALSO
APPARENTLY INVOLVED A PROJECTILE WHICH IMPACTED ON THE
TARMAC. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS OF DAMAGE OR
INJURY IN EITHER INCIDENT.


5. COMMENT: MOTIVE AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
ATTACKS REMAINS UNCLEAR, ALTHOUGH THE INCIDENTS ARE
SIMILAR TO PAST ATTACKS BY ULTRA-LEFT RADICALS,
PARTICULARLY CHUKAKUHA.. WHILE A CONNECTION WITH THE
GULF WAR CANNOT BE RULED OUT, IT IS MORE LIKELY THE
ATTACKS WERE TIMED TO COINCIDE WITH THE FEBRUARY 23
INVESTITURE OF THE CROWN PRINCE AS THE SUCCESSOR TO
THE THRONE. END COMMENT.

ARMACOST