Kōzō Okamoto (Japanese: 岡本 公三, Hepburn: Okamoto Kōzō; IPA: [o̞ka̠mo̞to̞ ko̞ːzo̞ː]; 7 December 1947 – 23 July 2026) was…
Kōzō Okamoto (Japanese: 岡本 公三, Hepburn: Okamoto Kōzō; IPA: [o̞ka̠mo̞to̞ ko̞ːzo̞ː]; 7 December 1947 – 23 July 2026) was a Japanese communist militant and a member of the Japanese Red Army (JRA), responsible for the massacre of 26 passengers at Ben-Gurion International Airport in Israel in 1972. While at university, Okamoto was introduced to the Red Army Faction (the precursor organization to the JRA) by his brother, a member of the group. He later traveled to Beirut, Lebanon, where he received military training by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and was selected to carry out the Lod Airport massacre. He was the sole survivor of the three perpetrators. After his arrest by Israeli forces, Okamoto was sentenced to three life sentences, but was released in the 1985 Jibril Agreement after serving 13 years. He would later move to Lebanon, where he spent three years in prison on false visa charges before being granted asylum, despite a Japanese extradition request.
Famous People from Ashikita, Kumamoto
Ashikita, Kumamoto: 2 people
Mizuki Fujii (藤井 瑞希, Fujii Mizuki; born 5 August 1988) is a badminton player from Ashikita, Kumamoto, Japan and plays…
Mizuki Fujii (藤井 瑞希, Fujii Mizuki; born 5 August 1988) is a badminton player from Ashikita, Kumamoto, Japan and plays for the Renesas badminton club. Mizuki Fujii concentrates on doubles badminton. Most of her success has come with women's doubles partner Reika Kakiiwa. Together they reached the final of the 2010 Korea Open Super Series, their first major final as a pair. She also assisted her team in winning the bronze medal at the 2010 Uber Cup. In the mixed doubles she pairs with Hirokatsu Hashimoto. Her career highest achievement was the silver medal in the women's doubles at the 2012 London Summer Olympics with Kakiiwa. She retired from professional badminton after the win at London.