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Terror in Japan: Far-Left Groups and the Asama-Sansō Incident of 1972

  • Sakaguchi Hiroshi (center) surrounded by police after his arrest in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, on February 28, 1972. (© Kyōdō)

    Sakaguchi Hiroshi (center) surrounded by police after his arrest in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, on February 28, 1972. (© Kyōdō)

  • Terror in Japan: Far-Left Groups and the Asama-Sansō Incident of 1972
  • The remains of members killed during violence within the United Red Army. Photograph taken near the Mount Haruna base in Gunma Prefecture in March 1972. (© Jiji)

    The remains of members killed during violence within the United Red Army. Photograph taken near the Mount Haruna base in Gunma Prefecture in March 1972. (© Jiji)

  • A police rifle squad watches Asama Sansō, where United Red Army members were holding a woman hostage, in February 1972. (© Jiji)

    A police rifle squad watches Asama Sansō, where United Red Army members were holding a woman hostage, in February 1972. (© Jiji)

  • Tamiya Takamaro and other Red Army faction members are disarmed at Pyongyang Airport in North Korea on April 3, 1970, following the hijacking of Japan Airlines flight 351.

    Tamiya Takamaro and other Red Army faction members are disarmed at Pyongyang Airport in North Korea on April 3, 1970, following the hijacking of Japan Airlines flight 351.

  • A Japanese Red Army member with a gun and two hostages on August 7, 1975. Five members of the group assaulted the US and Swedish embassies in Kuala Lumpur, demanding the release of imprisoned radicals in Japan. They escaped to Libya after the incident. (© Jiji)

    A Japanese Red Army member with a gun and two hostages on August 7, 1975. Five members of the group assaulted the US and Swedish embassies in Kuala Lumpur, demanding the release of imprisoned radicals in Japan. They escaped to Libya after the incident. (© Jiji)

  • Photographs of seven internationally wanted Japanese Red Army members. Bandō Kunio is at top left. (Courtesy Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, 2019; © Jiji)

    Photographs of seven internationally wanted Japanese Red Army members. Bandō Kunio is at top left. (Courtesy Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, 2019; © Jiji)

  • Sketches based on how the seven wanted Japanese Red Army members would likely look today. (Courtesy Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, 2019; © Jiji)

    Sketches based on how the seven wanted Japanese Red Army members would likely look today. (Courtesy Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, 2019; © Jiji)

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