Chapter IV. Maintenance of Public Safety and Disaster Countermeasures Section 1. Situation of International Terrorism (1) Islamic Extremists and Other Extremists of extremist thought; specifically, extremist One Japanese citizen was among the 160 casualties organizations and their supporters are thought to be of the series of terrorist attacks which occurred in making effective use of the internet to spread extremist Mumbai, India in 2008. As shown in Table 4-1, the thought and recruit constituent members. number of terrorism incidents around the world is Through such means, it has recently been observed increasing. Despite the strengthening of terrorism that organizations that do not have a direct connection countermeasures by governments of all countries since to Al-Qaeda’s core (the leadership) are propagating the terrorist attacks on the United States on 11 Sept terrorism schemes in various parts of the world. In 2001, the threat of terrorism by Islamic extremists particular, every country in the world now recognizes remains as high as ever. Among them, Al-Qaeda is that there is a danger of individuals with no connection attracting Islamic extremists in the world as the symbol to terrorist organizations otherwise being influenced by of jihad (holy war) against the United States. extremist thought spread through the internet, leading Moreover, it is believed that Islamic extremist them to carry out terrorist activities. organizations such as Al-Qaeda are forming networks Table 4-1 Major Incidents of International Terrorism in 2008 Date Incident 2 Jun. The bombing of the Embassy of Denmark in Islamabad, Pakistan 1 Jul. The exposure of a terrorist plot in Palembang, Indonesia 7 Jul. The bombing of the Embassy of India in Kabul, Afghanistan 19 Aug. The bombing of a prefectural police school in Algiers, Algeria 17 Sep. The bombing of the Embassy of the United States in Sana’a, Yemen 20 Sep. The bombing of a US-company-owned hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan 26 Nov. The series of terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India Diagram 4-1 Threat of Terrorism against Japan (2) The Threat of Terrorism against Japan Japan is included on the list of terrorism targets of Al-Qaeda, and it has been confirmed that those connected to Al-Qaeda have illegally entered and left Listed as target for terrorism attacks by Illegal entry and exit of the country in the past years. Japan is faces a serious Osama bin Laden Al-Qaeda affiliates threat of large scale and indiscriminate terrorism In the past within the country, and Japanese citizens face the Threat of large scale and threat of terror while abroad. Indiscriminate terrorism In Japan and foreign Countries Harm toward rights of Many existing U.S. affiliated Japan and Japanese persons Facilities which Islamic in terrorism incidents in Extremists deem as Foreign countries targets 148 (3) The Japanese Red Army and the through Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan have “Yodo-go” Group requested from North Korea the transfer of the 1) The Japanese Red Army hijackers. The police are also carrying out a full The leader of the Japanese Red Army (JRA) Fusako investigation into the activities of the Yodo-go group. 1 Shigenobu, who is currently on trial for the Hague 2 incident and other crimes, declared the dissolution of Note 1: In February 2006, Shigenobu was sentenced to 20 years in the JRA in April 2001 from her prison cell, and prison at the Tokyo District court, and in March of the announced that the organization had been broken up same year, her defense, along with the prosecuting council, officially in May of the same year. However, members appealed to the Tokyo High Court in an objection to this of the organization are continuing their activities under verdict. However, in December 2007, this was rejected different organizational names and thus still pose a and her defense appealed to the Supreme Court of Japan in threat. January 2008. The police are strengthening their cooperation with 2: The incident where three people, including Junzo relevant domestic and overseas agencies, and are Okudaira, seized the French Embassy at Hague, promoting efforts toward clarifying the activity status Netherlands and the 11 ambassadors were confined as of member organizations. The police have arrested hostage in September 1974. seven members of the JRA who were previously on an 3: It is assumed that one of the five suspects involved in the international wanted list. hijacking and one of their wives is dead, but this has not been confirmed. 2) The “Yodo-go” Group The hijacking of the Yodo-go took place on 31 (4) Democratic People’s Republic of Korea March 1970, when nine people, together with (North Korea) Takamaro Tamiya, hijacked Japan Airlines Flight 351 1) Suspected Cases of Abduction by North from Tokyo to Fukuoka, commonly known as the Korea “Yodo-go,” and landed in North Korea. Currently, five The police currently judge there to be a total of 13 suspects involved in the hijacking and three of their cases (19 victims) which can be considered kidnapping wives and children are thought to reside in North cases by North Korea. These include 12 cases in which Korea3. Arrest warrants have been issued for three of Japanese citizens were kidnapped (17 victims) and one the suspects for kidnapping Japanese nationals. case in which North Korean nationals were kidnapped Moreover, regarding the wives of the “Yodo-go” while within Japan (2 victims). The police have issued perpetrators and other group members, the five who arrest warrants for 11 people suspected of involvement have returned to Japan were arrested for breaking the in 8 cases, and have placed these suspects on Passport Act (and have been ordered to surrender their international wanted lists. passports) and other reasons. All five have been found guilty. 20 of the perpetrator’s children have returned to the country. The police have placed the Yodo-go perpetrators on an international wanted list, and 149 Table 4-2 Suspected Cases of Abduction by North Korea (12 cases, 17 persons) Table 4-2 Suspected Cases of Abduction by North Korea in which Victims were Japanese (12 cases, 17 persons) Occurrence Period Occurrence Place Victim (Age at that time) Case (Incident) Name Fugeshi District (present Housu 1 September-77 Mr.Yutaka Kume (52) Ushitsu Incident District), Ishikawa Prefecture 2 October-77 Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture Ms. Kyoko Matsumoto (29) Suspected abduction case of a girl 3 November-77 Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture Ms. Megumi Yokota (13) Suspected abduction case of a girl Around the month of Suspected abduction case of a former restaurant 4 Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture Mr. Minoru Tanaka (28) June 1978 worker Around the month of 5 Unknown Ms. Yaeko Taguchi (22) June 1978 Suspected abduction case of Ri Unhye Mr. Yasushi Chimura (23) Ms. Fukie Chimura Suspected abduction case of a couple (Fukui) 6 July-78 Obama City, Fukui Prefecture (original family name: Hamamoto) (23) (Note 1) Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Mr. Kaoru Hasuike (20) Ms. Yukiko Hasuike Suspected abduction case of a couple (Niigata) 7July-78 Prefecture (original family name: Okudo) (22) (Note 2) Hioki District (present Hioki City), Mr. Shuichi Ichikawa (23) Ms. Rumiko Masumoto Suspected abduction case of a couple 8 August-78 (24) (Kagoshima) Kagoshima Prefecture Sado District (present Sado City), Suspected abduction case of a mother and 9 August-78 Ms. Hitomi Soga (19) Ms. Miyoshi Soga (46) Niigata Prefecture daughter (Note 3) Around the month of Suspected abduction case of Japanese males in 10 Europe May 1980 Mr. Toru Ishioka (22) Mr. Kaoru Matsuki (26) Europe Sin Kwang Su incident 11 Mid-June 1980 Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture Mr. Tadaaki Hara (43) Around the month of Suspected abduction case of a Japanese female in 12 Europe Ms. Keiko Arimoto (23) July 1983 Europe Note: Five people, namely Mr. Yasushi Chimura, Ms. Fukie Chimura (original family name: Hamamoto), Mr. Kaoru Hasuike, Ms. Yukiko Hasuike (original family name: Okudo), and Ms. Hitomi Soga returned to the country in October 2002 after 24 years. In addition, aside from the above, the police are Although North Korea agreed regarding to a survey making accusations in cases which seem to be into the exact situation of the abduction issue at a abduction by North Korea and accepting consultations Japan-North Korea Working-level meeting in August and petitions regarding these cases. The police are 2008, this survey is being put off in favor of exchange strengthening linkages with relevant organizations and between the two heads of state. working to promote necessary investigations and surveys. 150 Diagram 4-2 Suspects on the International Wanted List (Related to the Suspected Abduction Cases) Case Suspected abduction case of a couple Suspected abduction case of a S us pected Abduction Cas e of Suspected abduction case (Incident) Ushitsu Incident Sin Kwang Su Incident mother and daughter a Japanese female in Europe (Fukui) of a couple (Niigata) Name (Niigata) Sin kwang Su Incident Kimihiro Uomoto (original Kim Se Ho Sin Kwang Su Kim Gil Uk alias: Kim Myung Sook alias: Choi Seung Cheol family name: Abe) Suspect September 2002 (Suspected Date put on the posing as Mr. Hara) / March 2006 International October 2002 January 2003 (Suspected abduction of the April 2006 November 2006 March 2006 Wanted List Chimuras) / April (Suspected abduction of Mr. Hara) Case Suspected abduction case of Suspected abduction case of (Incident) Suspected abduction case of a couple (Niigata) a sister and a brother a Japanese male in Europe Name Yoko Kinoshita so-called