Overview
On March 31, 1970, Japan Airlines Flight 351, a Boeing 727-89 (registration JA8315) nicknamed "Yodogo" after the Yodo River, was hijacked by nine members of the Japanese Communist Alliance Red Army Faction. The flight, en route from Tokyo's Haneda International Airport to Fukuoka Airport, carried 129 people, including 113 passengers and seven crew members. This incident, known as the Yodo Hijacking, marked Japan's first aircraft hijacking. The hijackers, led by Takamaro Tamiya, aimed to defect to North Korea to establish a base for a communist revolution in Japan. Armed with toy weapons, including Japanese swords, pistols, and bombs, they initially demanded to fly to Havana, Cuba, but due to the aircraft's limited range, they redirected to Pyongyang, North Korea.
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At approximately 7:33 a.m., the Red Army Faction members, armed with imitation weapons, seized control of the aircraft shortly after takeoff. They tied up passengers and directed the captain to fly to Havana. Due to fuel limitations, the Boeing 727, designed for short- to medium-haul flights, could not reach Cuba. The captain convinced the hijackers to land at Itazuke Airport (now Fukuoka Airport) for refueling.
At 8:58 a.m., the plane landed at Itazuke Airport. The hijackers demanded fuel and a map to Pyongyang. Japanese authorities attempted to block the runway with Self-Defense Forces, escalating tensions. The captain negotiated the release of 23 hostages, including women, children, elderly, and sick passengers. The hijackers, unaware of the poor quality of the provided map, continued their demand to fly to North Korea.
The aircraft departed Itazuke and crossed the Korea Strait. The hijackers believed they were entering North Korean airspace after crossing the 38th parallel, but South Korean air traffic controller Chae Hee-seok, posing as a Pyongyang controller, tricked them into landing at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul. South Korean authorities camouflaged the airport with North Korean flags and personnel dressed as North Korean soldiers to maintain the deception. The hijackers, unable to speak Korean, initially fell for the ruse but grew suspicious upon seeing a Northwest Airlines plane, American soldiers, and other inconsistencies. They demanded Kim Il-sung photos and North Korean flags, which South Korea could not provide, leading them to realize they were in Seoul. Negotiations ensued, with the hijackers holding the remaining passengers and crew hostage.
South Korean authorities, unable to communicate effectively in English, negotiated in Japanese. The hijackers demanded immediate departure to Pyongyang, but the aircraft's auxiliary power unit required external power, which South Korea refused to provide. Japanese officials, including Vice Minister of Transport Shinjiro Yamamura, arrived in Seoul to assist. After three days of negotiations, the hijackers agreed to release all passengers in exchange for Yamamura volunteering as a hostage. On April 3, 1970, at 6:05 p.m., the Yodogo, carrying nine hijackers, three crew members, and Yamamura, took off for North Korea.
The aircraft landed at Pyongyang's Mirim Airfield at 7:20 p.m. on April 3, despite the airfield lacking nighttime lighting. North Korean authorities disarmed the hijackers, revealing their weapons were toys. The nine hijackers, three crew members, and Yamamura were detained. North Korea initially promised to return the crew and aircraft but later delayed, citing a changed situation. After negotiations, the crew and Yamamura were released and returned to Japan on the Yodogo, while the hijackers remained in North Korea. The 99 passengers released in Seoul arrived safely in Fukuoka via a Japan Airlines DC-8-62.
South Korea's handling of the crisis earned praise from Japan. The government disguised Gimpo Airport as Pyongyang and avoided military force, prioritizing hostage safety. Air traffic controller Chae Hee-seok played a critical role in redirecting the plane, but his contributions were initially suppressed by the South Korean government to avoid acknowledging involvement. Public sentiment in South Korea was critical of Japan, with some media and officials, including former Prime Minister Kim Jong-pil, condemning Japan's historical and ongoing actions.
The nine hijackers were granted North Korean citizenship and placed under the Workers' Party of Korea's United Front Department, receiving ideological training in Juche and Kim Il-sung worship. Some were allegedly involved in North Korean espionage, including Japanese abductions. By 2024, three hijackers: Takamaro Tamiya, Takeshi Okamoto, and Kintaro Yoshida, had died in North Korea. Yoshimi Tanaka was arrested in Thailand in 2000 for counterfeiting and died in Japan in 2007. Yasuhiro Shibata was arrested in Japan in 1988 and died in 2011. The remaining four: Takahiro Konishi, Kimihiro Uomoto, Moriaki Wakabayashi, and Shiro Akagi are believed to reside in Pyongyang, with some wanted by Interpol for abduction-related charges. Their children, born in North Korea, returned to Japan in the early 2000s.
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Other Details
- Impact on Aviation Laws: The incident led to stricter aviation laws in Japan, surpassing even post-9/11 U.S. regulations.
- Chae Hee-seok's Role: Despite his heroism, Chae was marginalized and discharged from the military, with his contributions only recognized decades later in media like Monthly Chosun (2003) and SBS's The Story of That Day (2021).
- Notable Figures: Passenger Shigeaki Hinohara, a renowned physician, survived until 2017 and shared his experience. Vice Minister Yamamura was hailed as a hero but was tragically killed in 1992 by his mentally ill daughter.
