TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Friday raided an office of extremist group Chukaku-ha in Edogawa Ward over harboring a wanted activist, reports TV Asahi (Dec. 8).
Beginning at around 8:00 a.m., police used electric saws to gain access to the office through a steel door to search for evidence connected to the hiding of Masaaki Osaka, a 67-year-old member of the group who was wanted in connection with the killing of a 21-year-old police officer during a riot in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward on November 14, 1971.
Last month, police arrested Makoto Yoshinaka, a 66-year-old member of the group, for providing false information in the registration of the address of a residence with a government office in November of last year.
In May, police apprehended Osaka in Hiroshima Prefecture. He was later arrested and prosecuted for murder. Police believe that Yoshinaka worked to hide Osaka during his 46 years on the run.
Occupation of Okinawa
On the day of the riot, a protest against the occupation of Okinawa by the United States turned violent, with students swinging metal pipes and throwing Molotov cocktails at officers.
Last year, the National Police Agency announced the offering of a reward of 3 million yen for information leading to the arrest of Osaka.