Kozo Okamoto, a member of the Japanese Red Army, was buried in a Palestinian joint cemetery on the outskirts of Beirut [6].
Okamoto remained a fugitive for decades after participating in a high-profile attack in Israel, making his death a closing chapter for one of the most notorious incidents of international terrorism in the 20th century.
According to reports from TBS NEWS DIG, Okamoto died on Oct. 23, 2024 [3]. A funeral was held on Oct. 24, 2024 [4], followed by a memorial gathering on Oct. 25, 2024 [5].
A representative from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said Okamoto suffered from a lung disease. The official said his condition worsened two weeks prior to his death, leading to an emergency medical situation [1].
The memorial event in Beirut was attended by organizations that supported Okamoto, as well as members of Hezbollah and individuals expressing solidarity with Palestine, a reporter said [1].
Okamoto was wanted for his role in the 1972 shooting at an Israeli airport. That attack resulted in the deaths of 24 people [1] and left 76 others injured [2]. He spent years in exile in Lebanon, avoiding extradition and prosecution in Japan.
His burial in a Palestinian cemetery underscores the long-standing ties between the Japanese Red Army and Palestinian militant groups. The Japanese Red Army had previously collaborated with various Palestinian factions to carry out attacks against targets they perceived as imperialist or oppressive.
“Okamoto remained a fugitive for decades after participating in a high-profile attack in Israel.”
The death of Kozo Okamoto marks the end of a legal pursuit that spanned over five decades. Because he died in Lebanon without being extradited to Japan, he was never tried in a Japanese court for the 1972 airport massacre. His burial in a Palestinian cemetery reflects the ideological alignment and operational sanctuary provided by Middle Eastern militant groups to the Japanese Red Army during the Cold War era.
