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Satoshi Kirishima

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Satoshi Kirishima
桐島 聡
Kirishima in 1973
Kirishima in 1973
Born(1954-01-09)January 9, 1954
Kannabe, Japan
DiedJanuary 29, 2024(2024-01-29) (aged 70)
Kamakura, Japan
NationalityJapanese
Other namesHiroshi Uchida
OccupationConstruction worker (incognito)

Satoshi Kirishima (Template:Lang-ja, January 9, 1954 – January 29, 2024) was a Japanese anarchist, terrorist, and member of the East Asia Anti-Japan Armed Front. He participated in the 1974 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries bombing that killed eight people.[1]

Kirishima had been hiding from the Japanese police since 1975.[2] He revealed his identity in January 2024 in a hospital in Kanagawa, stating he wanted to spend the final days of his life using his real name.[3][4] It was revealed he had been living under the pseudonym of 'Hiroshi Uchida' (Template:Lang-ja) in Fujisawa. He died three days later in Kamakura.[5]

Kirishima was considered one of Japan's most wanted criminals for a long time.[6] His mugshot, which could be found at police stations across Japan, was well known for his grin and was often parodied.[2][7]

Early life

Kirishima was born in Kannabe-cho, Fukuyasu District (today part of Fukuyama city), Hiroshima Prefecture,[8] on January 9, 1954.[7] In April 1974 he began studies at the Faculty of Law of Meiji Gakuin University in Tokyo, where he met Yoshimasa Kurokawa, and Hisauchi Ugajin, members of the Sasori (Scorpion) Cell of the East Asia Anti-Japan Armed Front (EAAJAF). As a member of the Scorpion Cell, he participated in a series of bombings against Japanese corporations, including the 1974 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries bombing, which killed eight people.[1][9]

Fugitive life

In April 1975, Kirishima was put on a nationwide wanted list and went on the run after he allegedly helped set up a bomb that blew up part of a building in Tokyo's Ginza district. No one was killed in the bombing.[2][3] On May 19, 1975, Masashi Daidōji of the Wolf Cell, Kurokawa, and five other key members of the EAAJAF were arrested. Kirishima's house key was in the possession of Kurokawa, which brought Kirishima to the attention of the police. The Public Security Bureau charged Kirishima with violation of the Criminal Regulations to Control Explosives Law, and issued wanted posters of Kirishima throughout Japan.[10] On May 20 Kirishima withdrew cash at a bank in Shibuya. On May 31, Kirishima telephoned his family in Hiroshima, revealing to his father that, "I'm in Okayama with two women ... prepare some money ... thinking about escaping overseas ...".[11] This was the last time Kirishima contacted friends, family, or acquaintances.

When Kirishima revealed his identity before his death, it was discovered that he had gone into hiding, that he had been living under the pseudonym "Hiroshi Uchida" for decades, that he had been working as a live-in worker at a construction company in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture, and was living alone in an old wooden two-story dormitory near his workplace.[12] His nickname was 'Uchii', and was known to be a big music fan, with James Brown being among his favorites. Once a month he would turn up at a music event at a bar in Fujisawa, where he would dance.[13]

Discovery and death

On January 25, 2024, Japanese police said it had taken into its custody a man who it said claimed to be Kirishima from a hospital in Kanagawa Prefecture.[14] At the time of his arrest, Kirishima was one of the most wanted men in Japan, having evaded capture for 49 years with his wanted poster found ubiquitously throughout the country.[15] The man who claimed to be Kirishima had checked himself under his pseudonym into the hospital for terminal cancer and while undergoing treatment, told hospital staff that he was the fugitive Satoshi Kirishima and that he made this confession as he felt he would die soon and wanted to live what was left of his life under his real name.[3][16]

After the man made that statement, the police were called and he was arrested, with a DNA test taken on the man to try and confirm if he really was Kirishima or if the confession was false.[16] The self-proclaimed Kirishima was taken in custody by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. He told investigators some details about the attack.[3] On January 29, 2024, the man who claimed to be Kirishima died of the cancer that had led him to seek hospital treatment. The results of the confirmatory DNA test were not yet finished at the time of his death[3] but later indicated that the deceased was likely Kirishima,[17] which was confirmed following comparative tests with Kirishima's relatives.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b "桐島容疑者 名乗る人物死亡 爆破事件の遺族「無念でならない」". NHK NEWS WEB (in Japanese). January 29, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Notorious bombing fugitive Satoshi Kirishima reportedly dies after nearly half a century on the run in Japan". CBS News. January 29, 2024. Archived from the original on January 30, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Suspected fugitive from 1975 bombing attack dies at hospital near Tokyo". NHK World-Japan News. January 29, 2024. Archived from the original on February 3, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  4. ^ 松本, 健吾 (January 26, 2024). "病院で発見 指名手配 桐島聡容疑者（70）か 逃亡から約50年 潜伏先は" (in Japanese). TV Asahi, news.tv-asahi.co.jp. Archived from the original on January 26, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  5. ^ "連続企業爆破「桐島聡」名乗る男が死亡 末期がんで神奈川県鎌倉市の病院に入院". Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). January 29, 2024. Archived from the original on January 30, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  6. ^ "Most wanted suspects designated by the National Police Agency". National Police Agency. Archived from the original (by web.archive.org, the Wayback Machine) on January 28, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Japan bomber may have been found after 50 years". BBC. January 26, 2024. Archived from the original on January 30, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  8. ^ 桐島聡容疑者「岡山に女と一緒にいる」の電話から49年不明…鎌倉の病院に名乗る男 Archived January 29, 2024, at the Wayback Machine読売新聞2024年1月26日
  9. ^ "【プリズム】連続企業爆破事件発生から25年 遺族の心痛よそになお闘争を主張". 産経新聞 (in Japanese) (東京朝刊 ed.). August 30, 1999. p. 27.
  10. ^ "連続企業爆破 2被告の死刑確定 殺意あったと認定 最高裁が上告棄却". 読売新聞 (in Japanese) (東京夕刊 ed.). March 24, 1987. p. 1.
  11. ^ "桐島聡容疑者名乗る男「ガリガリ」「どこで寝てる？」 困窮、部屋は乱雑産経ニュース2024年1月29日閲覧". January 29, 2024. Archived from the original on January 30, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  12. ^ "「イェ～イ、イェイ」とDJバーを盛り上げ、ギターも弾いていた…でも「自分は幸せにできるタイプじゃないから」と女性との交際は拒否、過去に神奈川県警と接触も？〈自称・桐島聡死亡〉 | 集英社オンライン | 毎日が、あたらしい". shueisha.online (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  13. ^ "【独自】音楽にあわせバーで楽しげに踊る姿…桐島聡容疑者とみられる男の動画入手". TBS NEWS DIG (in Japanese). February 1, 2024. Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  14. ^ "Sources: Man suspected to be extremist wanted for 1970s bombings under custody". NHK. January 26, 2024. Archived from the original on January 26, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  15. ^ "Police question man claiming to be bomber on the run for 49 years". The Asahi Shimbun. January 26, 2024. Archived from the original on January 28, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  16. ^ a b "Man believed to be long-time fugitive Satoshi Kirishima detained in Japan: reports". The Japan Times. AFP. January 26, 2024.
  17. ^ "DNA tests show dead man likely 1970s bombing fugitive in Japan". Kyodo News. February 2, 2024. Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  18. ^ "Dead man identified as 1970s Japan bombing fugitive". Kyodo News. February 27, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
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