Japan Airlines Flight 351 - Notable People

Notable People

Moriaki Wakabayashi was an early member (bass player) in the long-running avant-garde rock band Les Rallizes Dénudés. The future Roman Catholic archbishop and cardinal Stephen Fumio Hamao was one of the passengers on this flight. Japanese pop singer Mita Akira was also on this flight, as was Shigeaki Hinohara. Dr. Hinohara, at the age of 97 years and 4 months, is one of the world's longest-serving physicians and educators.

In a March 2010 interview with Kyodo News, Moriaki Wakabayashi stated that the hijacking was a "selfish and conceited" act. Wakabayashi added that he wished to return to Japan and was willing to face arrest and trial for his role in the hijacking.

The alleged mastermind of the hijacking, who did not take part in the actual operation, was Takaya Shiomi. Shiomi was arrested, convicted, and served 20 years in prison in Japan. After his release, suffering from poor health, Shiomi obtained a job as an attendant at a multi-level parking facility in Kiyose, Tokyo, where he was working as late as 2008. He mentioned that they were supposed to go to Cuba in the first place.

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