Kakurōkyō (革労協, Revolutionary Workers' Council)[1] is a leftist group in Japan. It was formed around 1980 and was involved with struggles related to Narita Airport,[2] as there was long-running conflict between the government of Japan and an alliance of leftist activists who were opposed to the airport for ideological reasons with local farmers who did not wish their land to be appropriated.[3][4]
Etymology
editIts full name is 革命的労働者協会 (kakumeiteki rōdosha kyokai).
History
editIn June 1999, Kakurōkyō split into two factions.[5]
Members of the group are suspected of firing rockets at Narita airport in February 1998.[6] In February 2000 a member of the group was stabbed to death at JR Manazuru Station in Kanagawa prefecture. The three suspects were believed to also be members of the group.[7]
Another member was murdered in front of JR Uguisudani Station in Tokyo on August 31, 2000, making a total of five activists murdered.[5] The deaths continued until 2002, with eight members eventually being murdered.[8]
In 2003 and 2004 around the time of the US invasion of Iraq the group claimed responsibility for mortar attacks on Yokota Air Base, the Defense Agency in Tokyo and Naval Air Facility Atsugi in Kanagawa prefecture.[9] Raids were made in response to the mortar attacks in 2010.[10]
In 2013 the group was believed to have been responsible for another attack on Yokota Air Base.[11]
In September 2015, three men were arrested for assaulting riot police during a protest against security legislation in front of the National Diet building in Tokyo. One of them was reported to be a Kakurōkyō member.[12]
In 2019, the arrest of Toyotona Numata was made, who was the suspect involved in conducting mortar attacks on Camp Zama and Yokota Air Base.[13]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Revolutionary Workers' Council - Japan".
- ^ "過激派".
- ^ Brasor, Philip Fight or flight: Narita's history of conflict December 13, 2014 Japan Times Retrieved August 11, 2016
- ^ Nagata, Kazuaki Narita airport — worth long struggle to build? June 9, 2009 Japan Times Retrieved August 11, 2016
- ^ a b Extremist murdered in knife attack August 31, 2000 Japan Times Retrieved August 11, 2016
- ^ Leftists say attack on airport was theirs Tampa Bay Times, February 6, 1998
- ^ Police raid homes and offices of leftist group Kakurokyo Mar 4, 2000 Japan Times Retrieved August 11, 2016
- ^ Leftist groups struggle with violence tag The Japan Times, HIROSHI MATSUBARA, October 16, 2002
- ^ Yoshida, Reiji Leftist group raided after projectile attack February 19, 2004 Japan Times Retrieved August 11, 2016
- ^ "Japanese police raid operational bases of anti-U.S. Military group".
- ^ Explosions heard near U.S. air base Japan Times, November 29, 2013
- ^ Trio held for allegedly roughing up riot police at rally against security bills outside Diet September 16, 2016 Japan Times Retrieved August 11, 2016
- ^ "横田基地ゲリラ事件の実行役かくまった疑い 過激派幹部逮捕 - 産経ニュース". www.sankei.com. Archived from the original on 2019-05-10.