Former head of Japanese Red Army released

[thomas]

Today, 76-year-old Shigenobu Fusako, the former head of the Japanese Red Army (日本赤軍 Nihon Sekigun), was released after serving 20 years in prison. The Red Army group staged a series of terrorist attacks half a century ago, hijacking and kidnapping countless people in the 1970s.

Shigenobu spoke with reporters in a nearby park and apologized for the actions of the Japanese Red Army. "In our battle 50 years ago, we injured innocent strangers by taking hostages," she said. "I apologize for the trouble caused to many people." She went on to say that her immediate goal was to "concentrate on taking care of my illness." Shigenobu was placed on the international most wanted list for masterminding the September 1974 attack and hostage-taking by the Japanese Red Army at the French Embassy in the Hague, Netherlands. She was arrested by Osaka prefectural police in November 2000 after secretly returning to Japan. She was given a 20-year prison sentence for the crime.

Former head of Japanese Red Army now free and apologetic | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

Unseen Japan has an excellent five-episode YT series on the JRA that's quite disillusioning: