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- Chukaku-Ha (Nucleus or Middle Core Faction)
-
- Description
- An ultraleftist/radical group with origins in the fragmentation of the
- Japanese Communist Party in 1957. Largest domestic militant group; has
- political arm plus small, covert action wing called Kansai Revolutionary
- Army. Funding derived from membership dues, sales of its newspapers, and
- fundraising campaigns.
-
- Activities
- Participates in mass street demonstrations and commits sporadic attacks
- using crude rockets and incendiary devices usually designed to cause
- property damage rather than casualties. Protests Japan's imperial system,
- Western "imperialism," and events like the Gulf war and the expansion of
- Tokyo's Narita airport. Launched at least four rockets at the Us army base
- at Zama, near Tokyo, at the start of the G-7 Summit in July 1993.
-
- Strength
- 3,500.
-
- Location/Area of operation
- Japan.
-
- External Aid
- None known.
-
- 7 July 1993
- Japan
- Terrorists exploded a home-made bomb at the United Nations Technology Center
- in Osaka, causing minor damage and no casualties. On 9 July the Chukaku-Ha
- terrorist group claimed responsibility.
-
- SELECTED INCIDENT CHRONOLOGY
-
- JUNE, 1979:
- BURNED TWO VEHICLES AND CUT COMMUNICATIONS LINES TO TOKYO'S HANEDA
- AIRPORT WHEN PRESIDENT CARTER ARRIVED.
-
- SEPTEMBER, 1984:
- ATTACKED THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY HEADQUARTERS WITH A TRUCK-
- MOUNTED FLAME-THROWER AND DETONATED A TIME BOMB NEAR THE EMBASSY OF
- ISRAEL.
-
- APRIL, 1985:
- USED A MORTAR-LIKE WEAPON IN SIMULTANEOUS ATTACKS ON NARITA AND
- HAMEDA AIRPORTS. THERE WERE NO CASUALTIES BUT MAJOR DAMAGE TO AT
- LEAST ONE BUILDING.
-
- NOVEMBER, 1985:
- STORMED AND SET ABLAZE SEVERAL OF JAPAN'S LARGEST RAILWAY
- STATIONS.
-
- MARCH, 1986:
- LAUNCHED PROJECTILES AT THE IMPERIAL PALACE.
-
- MAY, 1986:
- LAUNCHED PROJECTILES AT THE BUILDINGS HOUSING THE ECONOMIC (G-7)
- SUMMIT MEETING. THE IMPROVISED MISSILES FLEW APPROXIMATELY 3,500
- METERS.
-
- SEPTEMBER, 1986:
- UNIDENTIFIED ATTACKERS, SUSPECTED OF BEING MEMBERS OF CHUKAKU-HA
- BATTERED A RAILWAY TRADE UNION OFFICIAL TO DEATH AND SERIOUSLY
- INJURED EIGHT OTHERS IN A SERIES OF ATTACKS IN THEIR HOMES.
-
- OCTOBER, 1986:
- POLICE ARRESTED SEVEN SUSPECTED MEMBERS OF THE GROUP AND DISCOVERED
- A BOMB FACTORY IN NORTHERN JAPAN.
-
- NOVEMBER, 1986:
- CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR TWO TIMED INCENDIARY DEVICES THAT
- EXPLODED AT THE RESIDENCE OF A FORMER EXECUTIVE OF THE AIRPORT
- PUBLIC CORPORATION.
-
- MARCH, 1987:
- CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR A SERIES OF BOMBINGS INTENDED TO STOP
- CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES INVOLVED WITH EXPANSION WORK AT NARITA.
-
- JULY, 1987:
- TARGETED VEHICLES INVOLVED IN CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW KANSAI
- INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN OSAKA, AND EXPANDING NARITA; USED TIMED
- INCENDIARY DEVICES IN THIRTEEN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS OF THE SAME DAY.
-
- AUGUST, 1987:
- LAUNCHED FOUR INCENDIARY DEVICES FROM THE BED OF A STOLEN TRUCK IN
- THE DIRECTION OF THE IMPERIAL PALACE.
-
- JANUARY, 1988:
- FIRED FIVE ROCKET BOMBS TOWARD THE NEW TOKYO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
- AT NARITA. THE ROCKETS WERE LAUNCHED FROM A TRUCK PARKED ON AN
- EMPTY LOT. NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES WERE REPORTED.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- THE ABOVE INFORMATION WAS DERIVED FROM MULTIPLE STATE DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENT
- OF DEFENSE AND PUBLIC MEDIA SOURCE DOCUMENTS.
-
-