The six, in their late teens and early 20s, were born in North Korea and grew up there.

They arrived Jan. 13 on a JAL flight at Narita airport after having their identities con- firmed by Japanese Embassy staff earlier at Beijing airport.

"I'm glad to be coming to Japan, but I think the hardships are about to begin," said Aki Shibata, 23, the younger daughter of Megumi Yao, former wife of one of the hijackers.

The other five are Yoko Uomoto, the 21-year-old daughter of Kimihiro Uomoto, and Uomoto's 19-year-old son; Taishi Tamiya, the 20-year-old son of the late Takamaro Tamiya, leader of the hijackers; Chisato Okamoto, 22, daughter of the late hijacker Takeshi Okamoto; and the 17-year-old daughter of Yoshimi Tanaka, who returned to Japan and is serving a prison sentence for the hijacking.

The hijackers, who belonged to the Red Army Faction, took the JAL plane with 138 people on board to Pyongyang in March 1970 and were granted political asylum in North Korea.

The Japan Times Weekly: Jan. 24, 2004
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