The Insane Hijacking of Japan Airlines Flight 351 - True Story- Part one

I'm Safdar.

This will be part one of a two-part series and is made possible by Nebula and CuriosityStream.

Tokyo, March 1970,

31,000 feet up in the air, Japan Airlines flight 351 was reaching its cruising altitude.

It had left Tokyo's Haneda Airport no more than 10 minutes ago and was set to land in Fukuoka in an hour's time.

This was to be a relatively short flight, a domestic affair, but little did the passengers and crew know, it was going to be neither.

As Japan Airlines flight 351 was about to undergo a harrowing ordeal. On the plane were 122 passengers, tourists, businessmen, first-year uni students, doctors on the way to medical conferences, really people from all walks of life, and including a few notable individuals like the high ranking Pepsi executive, the talented bass player from the up and coming rock band,

Hadaka no Rarizu,

and the Roman Catholic priest from New York.

Yes, this was a diverse mix with people of varied experiences and professions, but nothing, nothing could have prepared them for what was to come.

At about 7:30 am, as the plane was flying over the southern face of Mount Fuji, a young Japanese man got up from his seat to make a special announcement.

He was hijacking the plane.

This man was Takamaro Tamiya, a 27-year-old recent graduate. Now, this announcement wasn't met with as much terror and panic as one would expect, as this was the year in 1970  when airline hijackings weren't illegal. It wasn't yet considered an international crime. Yes, people were concerned and some more than others but the general attitude towards aircraft piracy was not how it is today. But this was about to change. As Takamaro Tamiya proceeded to pull out a samurai sword.

Yes, a samurai sword.

He was for real. The seriousness of this situation was now apparent to all. Despite this, 122 passengers was a lot for a single hijacker, which is why he didn't come alone. With everyone now in a state of panic, Tamiya's accomplices began to make themselves known one by one.

The university students had revealed themselves. Now, this was unexpected and bizarre. Many of the students were still in their early years at Tokyo and Kyoto universities. Two of the most prestigious universities in all of Japan with the youngest among them being just 16 years old, actually still in high school. Just like their leader Tamiya, they wielded samurai swords, but not just that. Some had pistols and homemade pipe bombs as well. This was confusing and terrifying. As they tried to break into the cockpit, the distressed pilots radioed in for help, relaying the dire situation on board. It seemed it wasn't long until the hijackers would make their way in.

The rest of the students were now tying the male passengers down to their seats as ordered by their leader. Now, it was certainly an odd sight to see such young Japanese recruits involved in this act of terror, nine in total. But the most surprising of all perhaps was the identity of one particular hijacker. He was the bass player of the up-and-coming rock band Hadaka no Rarizu. This wasn't a joke.

His name was Moriaki Wakabayashi and he was in it just as much as his fellow comrades. It was time to win things. With the cockpit finally breached and the pilots restrained, the samurais skyjackers were now in full control of Japan Airlines flight 351.

Now, it's hard to imagine airline security being so laxed as to allow samurais swords, pistols, and pipe bombs to be this easily smuggled onto a plane. But 1970 was a different time. And well, the demands of the hijackers reflected that. You see, the reason they took control of the plane was to fly across the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean, specifically to Havana, Cuba.

This was to be their final destination. With Cuba being a communist haven led by revolutionary Fidel Castro, the nine men wanted to make a grand political statement to the world. Hijacking a passenger airliner right out of Tokyo and diverting it to Cuba, the country of their dreams. As members of the Japanese Red Army Faction, a communist militant group hell-bent on overthrowing the Japanese government and the monarchy, they wanted to establish contact with revolutionary forces in Cuba.

So that they could receive specialized military training for the impending revolutionary war they would wage upon returning to Japan. They claimed they love their country and this was the only way. But on top of that, they were hoping the act would inspire and promote rebellion across the rest of Asia. And this was just the beginning. Really, they wanted to start a world revolution and they were willing to advocate it through terror and violence. After all, they had already long threatened to wage a civil war in Tokyo and Osaka. And they'd previously been involved in violent street battles and a few small-scale bombings.

Hijackings were their next venture and these nine men, young men were the front runners. They'd been targeted and scouted by leftist student groups from universities across Tokyo and Kyoto. And were now ready and willing to give everything to the cause. And yes, this included Moriaki Wakabayashi, the bass player of the rock group Hadaka no Rarizu, which started off as a university band before the rise in popularity.

Now, perhaps it was this very youthful inexperience and overconfidence that led to the first lapse in judgment which, awkwardly enough, had to be explained to them by the pilot. You see, it was just not possible for the plane to make it all the way to Cuba, not even close.

Why?

Well, Japan Airline's flight 351 was a Boeing 727 airliner which was designed for short to medium-range flights only, not for one making its way halfway across the world in a single trip. The plane was simply not constructed to cross the Pacific, much less to Cuba. And this was shocking to the hijackers as they simply hadn't expected this turn of events. They needed a Plan B fast. One that involved an alternate destination. But well, even that appeared to be out of the question. As the pilots quickly informed them of even more pressing concern, the plane was running out of fuel. They only had enough for the original destination, Fukuoka. Tamiya had to think on his feet, time was ticking.

Right, well, if they had to land in Fukuoka, then they'd land in Fukuoka, but on their terms. Now, it was about this time that the Japanese Ministry of Transport received word of the hijacking and was entrusted with the task of ensuring the safety of all of the passengers. A member of the department, vice-minister Shinjiro Yamamura, would directly oversee the hostage recovery efforts. Of course, the word also got around to the news outlets who quickly reported on the incident live.

This was the first for Japan as never before had they experienced a hijacking of an airplane. This shocked and horrified the entire nation. At 9:00 am, Japan Airlines flight 351 touched down at Fukuoka Airport, where they were met by a horde of spectators and members of the media. The authorities wasted no time surrounding the plane as they readied themselves for the eventual standoff. With 129 hostages on board, 122 passengers, and seven crew members, the hijackers felt that they had the upper hand but it all would rest on the negotiations. 

As Yamamura and the authorities prepared themselves, the negotiations began. For the next few hours, the two sides went back and forth both unwilling to budge, with Tamiya threatening to kill every last one of the hostages if his demands weren't met. This was an intense negotiation with a lot at stake but eventually, an agreement was reached. So, the deal was for the hijackers to release 23 of the passengers in exchange for more fuel, but it had to be enough fuel to get them to their new destination. Now, Havana, Cuba was no longer an option. It was too far.

So they had to settle for one within reach. After much discussion and consideration, they decided on Pyongyang. The hijackers were going to North Korea. Now, this made sense to the nine men as North Korea was another communist regime, ruled by another great revolutionary, Kim Il-sung, grandfather to Kim Jong-un. They reasoned that flying the plane to Pyongyang would still make a grand political statement to the world. Furthermore, they had actually already planned for a brief stopover in Pyongyang as the city had been a serious candidate to host their base of operations for their international revolution. And they wanted to conduct some reconnaissance while on route to Cuba. So all this just meant a slightly longer detour to North Korea, no big deal, really.

Once the dust had settled, they'd figure out another way to Cuba. Viva la revolution. And so the deal was done. Tamiya had got what he wanted and even better. They still had 106 hostages

onboard for leverage. On the Japanese side, all the passengers released were women,  children, and the elderly, the most vulnerable, which was fortunate, but not quite what they had hoped for. The majority on the plane were still very much in jeopardy.

But now it was time to go. With the pilots had never flown to North Korea and unable to rely on Pyongyang air control for guidance,

Fukuoka Airport officials had to quickly pass them a map of the Korean peninsula to navigate for themselves. That would have to do for now. But with that, Japan Airlines flight 351 fueled up and took off, bound for the hermit kingdom. Now, aside from the Japanese, that was actually one other group that was rather unhappy with the outcome thus far. And that was the Central Intelligence Agency, the CIA. You see, Langley had sent over agents for their own hostage recovery mission. 

As there were a couple of US nationals on board, the Pepsi executive, Herbert Brilland the Roman Catholic priest from New York, Daniel MacDonald.They had business to attend to in Fukuokabut now with a plane heading towards North Korea, a nation known for their international hostility and political reclusiveness, not to mention their general hatred and contempt towards Americans, things weren't looking great. By now, flight 351 was well on its way to Pyongyang. It had crossed the Tsushima Strait, flown over the Korean mountain ranges. And had just about reached the DMZ, the Korean demilitarized zone.

This 38th parallel is a contested border dividing the Korean peninsula into North and South Korea. Once passed this point, there would be no turning back. But on top of that, the pilots were having a hard time with navigation as they were unfamiliar with the flight route. Seeing as the countries had no diplomatic ties, Japanese airlines and airport controllers were simply unable to make contact with their North Korean counterparts. The Japanese pilots didn't even know where the airport in Pyongyang was located.

Sure, they were given a map by airport officials shortly before leaving Fukuoka but they were astounded to discover it was just a basic line map taken from a junior high school textbook. It had little to no detail, certainly no aviation map. The airport officials understandably had little time to prepare, but this was ridiculous. There was no way they could fly to North Korea, using this map.

Moreover, the North Koreans had no idea they were even coming, a major cause for concern. It's common knowledge among pilots that the airspace above the DMZ is a no-fly zone with a long-running formal agreement that any aircraft entering could be shot down for any reason, with no grounds for redress. If this were to happen, it would surely precipitate an international incident. As such, the pilots tried desperately to make contact with the Pyongyang control tower, attempting to warn the mof their unique circumstances. Pyongyang, Pyongyang, please respond. Pyongyang, this is JAL flight 351.

Pyongyang, please respond. Nothing. The pilots frantically warned the hijackers of the potential fiery end, they could meet if they were to fly any further. But Tamiya insisted they continue. He was steadfast in their revolutionary mission. Even proclaiming that NorthKorea was no threat to the mas he would personally recruit Kim Il-sung to the Japanese Red Army, if need be. And so the pilots had no choice, with samurai swords pointing at their necks and with permission yet to be granted by Pyongyang, Japan Airlines flight 351 entered the DMZ. Moments later, NorthKorean fighter jets emerged from the clouds opening fire at the passenger plane. They had entered North Korean airspace, but just like that, it was over, the firing stopped. The pilots realized, well, it must've been warning of fire. At that moment, there was a faint response on the radio. This is Pyongyang. This is Pyongyang. Respond. Respond. 

It was in English, but in a heavy Korean accent. The pilots relieved at finally making contact tried their hardest to explain their predicament to the Pyongyang control tower. This must've sounded quite bizarre to the North Koreans as nothing like this had never happened before. But despite the unusual request, after some back and forth, flight 351 was permitted to land in Pyongyang. They would, however, be closely escorted by the fighter jets. Now, the hijackers were elated. This was what they had hoped for, acceptance from their communist allies. But as the plane continued flying deeper and deeper into the reclusive state, it was becoming quite clear to the rest of those on board, the passengers and crew, that their fate no longer rested in the hands of the hijackers, but the hermit kingdom. At 3:19 pm, Japan Airlines flight 351 touched down at Mirim Airport in EasternPyongyang, where they were met by a swarm of military personnel. They were North Korean soldiers, policemen, high ranking officials but also surprisingly sympathetic crowds of civilians, holding up welcome signs, as well as a choir of schoolgirls singing North Korean greeting songs, welcoming the hijackers, well, in their eyes, defectors, to their glorious nation.

Outside the aircraft, an announcement could be heard, blasting over the loudspeaker. This is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea presided by the great leader, Kim Il-sung. For those who are fighting against Japanese imperialism, we welcome you. This was a somewhat elaborate reception and a magnificent sight for the student radicals but for the hostages, it was deeply unsettling. It wasn't long until a North Korean official approached the plane to officially received the foreign visitors. This was it. Tamiya and his men were about to join their communist brethren. Now, meanwhile, in a nearby hangar, the Japanese authorities and the CIA was getting ready to launch the rescue mission. It was now or never. All that was needed was for the nine men to be learned far enough away from the plane by the fake North Korean official. This was what it had all been leading up to. You see, the hijackers had indeed ended up in the Korean capital, but it was just one problem. It was the wrong one. Back in Fukuoka, the Japanese authorities and the CIA failed to recover all the hostages and negotiations did not go as planned but there was absolutely no way they were going to let 106 Japanese and American hostages fly right into the heart of North Korea. Instead, they opted for Seoul. They knew they wouldn't have long until the plane ended up in North Korean airspace. So they had to think on their feet, time was ticking. Right. Well, if the plane had to land in Pyongyang, then they'd land in Pyongyang, but on their terms.

This was their plan B. With the negotiations over, they sprung into action. First thing, they needed to get the South Koreans on board. If they were gonna pull this off, there needed to be exhaustive cooperation between all three countries, Japan, the US, and South Korea. Something the hijackers could never have imagined. They had less than an hour to get this done. Now, on the plane, the pilots were attempting to navigate to Pyongyang But they were astounded to discover the map they were given was unusable, a basic line map taken from a junior high school textbook. There was no way they could fly to North Korea with this. As the captain was about to throw the map away, he suddenly notices a handwritten note at the top corner, no aviation map, but tune into frequency 121.5 megacycles. He did as instructed. Not long after entering the DMZ, North Korean fighter jets emerged from the clouds firing anti-aircraft shells at the passenger plane, or at least, that's who those onboard the thought was firing at them. In reality, this was theSouth Korean Air Forceattempting to fool the hijackers into thinking they had now entered North Korean airspace. Having tuned into the frequency 121.5 megacycles, the pilots and the hijackers then received a message from who they thought was the Pyongyang control tower. This is Pyongyang. Respond. Respond. Spoken in a heavy Korean accent. This was, however, sent by air traffic control in Seoul.

To this day, because of differing accounts of the situation, it's still unknown to the extent to which the pilots were aware of this ruse. Perhaps they were in the dark, just as much as the hijackers, or perhaps they were key coordinators of the plan themselves. Regardless, what we do know is that following the instructions that was received on frequency 121.5 megacycles, the pilots were able to safely direct flight 351back across the DMZ, eventually touching down at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul. That was the reason for the rudimentary map because the Japanese authorities never planned for the pilots to use it at all. They were never going to Pyongyang. Now, the countdown was on. The hour was almost done. As the plane touched down on the runway, the South Korean airport officials were frantically putting the finishing touches on their makeshift renovation. You see, the final piece of the deception involved disguising Seoul's Gimpo airport to look like one in Pyongyang. They did this by covering up any South Korean related items and branding and removing all South Korean flags, replacing them with North Korean flags. South Korean police were also dressed up in communist uniforms and North Korean military attire. And random actors performing the role of the sympathetic public held up welcome signs in the hopes of putting the hijackers at ease.

A crowd of girls from a nearby school was even cast to sing North Korean greeting songs to add as much authenticity as possible. This was the best they could do, given the time. Blasting over the loudspeakers. This is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea presided by the great leader, Kim Il-sung. For those who are fighting against Japanese imperialism, we welcome you. The fake North Korean official approached the plane greeting the hijackers with a megaphone. We have prepared a shuttle bus to take you, the revolutionary heroes to meet the great leader and premier Kim Il-sung. The Japanese, American, and South Korean authorities, meanwhile,were waiting in the wings. Vice-minister Yamamura was ready. With the ramp stairs rolled up to the fuselage,the hijackers prepared to disembark. They were riding high. This was what they had been waiting for after sacrificing everything to the cause,their moment had come. This was a revolutionary victory for the ages. One by one, they made their way to the exit. What they didn't know though was that their struggles were far from over. 

This was only the beginning. Now the rest of this incredible story will be covered in part two and will be published soon. So make sure you have followed me. Like my story and follow me because it's also a great way to support me and educational content directly. So give it a shot. and, well, stay tuned for part two. 

I'll see you then.