Japan's police renew hunt for Red Army militants wanted since 1970s

@iradickle

Local Law. Under Japanese law, persons suspected of a crime can be detained for 23 days without charge.

https://japan.embassy.gov.au › tkyo › arrests

Kinda right there on the website

That is technically not correct. The maximum time a person can be detained by police is 48h in which the case must be presented to the district attorney who then needs to request further detention within 24h. Hence the 72h mentioned above.

If he orders further detention, this is generally limited to 10 days but can be extended another 10 days under very difficult circumstances. That is probably the reason why this myth circulates only among foreigners. I still don't know where they get that from though, neither does a lawyer friend of mine who was extremely surprised when being asked about that by an American guy.

Besides that, in the majority of all cases that police deals with every day, a system called 在宅起訴 is being used. That means that the suspect is sent home right after verifying his identity (usually within 1-2 hours)

Of course this won't be used when the suspect poses a thread to the public, is likely to continue with his crime or there are reasons to believe he might destroy evidence or flee from prosecution.

KuroTokage,

I don't know why foreigners always come up with that nonsense.

Local Law. Under Japanese law, persons suspected of a crime can be detained for 23 days without charge.

https://japan.embassy.gov.au › tkyo › arrests

Kinda right there on the website

The cops can arrest them and hold them for 23 days, 

I don't know why foreigners always come up with that nonsense. I can't speak of other countries but in Japan the max police can hold somebody in custody is 72h (3 days).

They killed a lot of innocent people and were terrorists so I can't excuse them even if they are wearing incontinence diapers now. I get that two officers were killed but the police still actively searching now seems like further proof of the connection between the police and right wingers.

And I in no way support or condone violence and terrorism but Japan could use some social radicalism nowadays. The majority of people are just so passive and tuned out.

Kozo Okamoto, 74, is wanted for his alleged role in the 1972 attack at the airport in Israel that killed about 100 people.

I'm assuming this is referring to the Lod Airport massacre. I think 26 were killed and about 80 injured. I'm a little puzzled. He was captured, pled guilty, and sentenced to life imprisonment in Israel, but later released as part of a prisoner exchange with Palestinian militants. Can he be charged again in Japan?

These people were victims of a rotten ideology that unfortunately runs the show as of today(Controlled opposition)They have left and right parties and pit people against each other to promote a perverted global agenda.

Well, the red pest is, unlike the Nazis, still among us - and it's more alive than ever.

There are plenty of Nazis among us. Probably far more than the "red pest". They're just not called "Nazis". (Well, some are.) They're referenced in much softer language as "authoritarians", "nationalists", "white supremacists", "far right", etc.

what a amazing speed...sure decision came out after a lengthy meeting and mountain of faxes for hanko...next stage DPRK card as usual set...

Nazis are definitely not extinct, and not talking about elderly fascists either. Look at what flags the nationalists in Ukraine are waving. Not saying that law enforcement should be hunting down nazis in retirement homes, that would be just as silly as this story.

Nazis are extinct. Fascists still exist - they just changed their color from brown to red!

@KuroTokage

Is the implication here that communists are a threat and nazis are extinct? Unless you are actually a fascist or really love capitalists I don't think we are much of a threat. I do agree that we are growing though, thanks for that.

Nazis are definitely not extinct, and not talking about elderly fascists either. Look at what flags the nationalists in Ukraine are waving. Not saying that law enforcement should be hunting down nazis in retirement homes, that would be just as silly as this story.

*decade not century

Red Army Faction in Japan? we have them in Europe and I assume they've basically been dissolved as they haven't caused trouble in centuries... hard to believe they are still a threat today..

Surely there must be something better to do than chase down some folks in their 70s and 80s. Don't the police have anything better to do?

Same goes for governments and organizations who are wasting time and money to chase down 90+ year old Nazis.

If I were a fascist, I would be terrified.

Well, the red pest is, unlike the Nazis, still among us - and it's more alive than ever.

Check under your beds for reds before you go to bed tonight!

That and offer free helicopter rides over the Andes for the commies.

There were similar active Red Army Faction members in other countries too , before and during that time span, also most caught and a very few still searched for. In my home country they even found old weapons’ and ideology material hidden in some forest places. So while everyone thinks they are diving into big cities’ anonymity they might be instead live in those abandoned rural areas and communities they once moved into and are now assimilated and respected old senpai village people and no one comes arouand there for asking, the next police box also kilometers away down in the valley. If I were police I would first or at least not forget to also check all those people now having such a far from everything living, might have access to guns against bears as hunters, solely active on fishing boats and such ones. Big cities are of course more anonymous, but there are also much more possibilities to get caught or have to reveal identity.

The latter still exists with new leadership, doesn't it?

yes. I believe they call themselves Aleph now, although I have also heard they have split into different groups. Not really sure about them.

this is so random of the J cops to bring this out now. I mean, they haven't publicly mentioned the red army in YEARS

Surely there must be something better to do than chase down some folks in their 70s and 80s. Don't the police have anything better to do?

How about nailing them child molesters who infest the schools, nurseries, anywhere children are? There seems to be new arrests for that every week.

either Red Army or Aum Shunrikyo will do.

The latter still exists with new leadership, doesn't it?

One of the Red Army members captured at the siege of Asamasanso in Nagano in 1972, Hiroshi Sakaguchi, has been on death row for almost 50 years. When the Red Army hijacked the JAL plane in Dhaka and demanded the release of Red Army convicts, he declined to be released.

One would think the government might show lenience for his cooperation and repentance, but killing cops in this country doesn't win any friends, so he's still on death row. He will probably be allowed to die of old age rather than go to the gallows.

Sakaguchi wrote a book about his experiences that gave details of what happened before and during the siege.

The looooong arm of the law!

I do not understand what their target was/is. Attacking Americans, French and Jews, quiet a mix. To me just seems like any soft target would do, so Japanese.

They’re probably not very mobile now days, I would bet

North Korean card already played? Ok, then, next scare tactic is resurrect the ghost of terrorism past, either Red Army or Aum Shunrikyo will do.

Japanese Red Army members are still on the run and they may live somewhere near you,"

"the aging militants warned the “case” was not over yet."

OK could be thousands of sleeper cells by now.

Jgov must be having a bad image day. Using these baits to distract citizens yet again.

Japanese Red Army members are still on the run and they may live somewhere near you

Pulling out literal red scare tactics for events that happened 50 years ago? Absolutely insane. If I were a fascist, I would be terrified.

Surely there must be something better to do than chase down some folks in their 70s and 80s. Don't the police have anything better to do?

At 75+ coming out of retirement ?. For a movie? That wig wearing woman who never stands up surrounded by flowers.

Check under your beds for reds before you go to bed tonight!

-outlawed foreign groups.

Canadian truckers?

If they come out of retirement, who will take the Helen Mirren role in the Japanese movie of it?

Kozo Okamoto, 74, is wanted for his alleged role in the 1972 attack at the airport in Israel that killed about 100 people.

"alleged role"? Gimme a break. He was a gun-toting attacker captured at the scene and convicted and jailed for his "role" (committing mass murder).

Have to admit they must have been and continue (not caught) to be a highly motivated and intelligent organisation to have pulled off such a number of high profile multiple attacks. Now in their 70+ If they are still alive at all, they deserve to be judged by their youthful outrageous behaviour. It was a different time and they obviously have adapted to new lives. At their age jail is probably aged care. Death sentence, doubt any will live long enough for a hanging.

Get 'em off the street before they shoplift some Metamucil.

If the case isn't over yet, the police should deal with. Why the red scare tactics?

warned the “case” was not over yet.

Is it real threat to Japanese society today? That already 50-40 years ago.

Threat that exist in Japan today is like this

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Terrorism/Joker-terrorizes-Tokyo-train-on-Halloween-injuring-17

or this one

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/11/0644b70cfa3e-man-nabbed-after-starting-fire-on-bullet-train-in-southwest-japan.html