YOUTHFUL EXTREMISM IN JAPAN (FROM UNAFEI - REPORT FOR 1976 AND RESOURCE MATERIAL SERIES NO 13, 1977 - SEE NCJ-43800)

• NCJ Number: 43807
• Author(s): T MATSUSHITA
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United Nations

Annotation

TRENDS IN EXTREMIST ACTIVITIES BY JAPANESE STUDENTS ARE REVIEWED, THE CAUSES OF EXTREMISM ARE CONSIDERED, AND CRIMINAL SANCTIONS AGAINST TERRORISM AND RELATED CRIMES ARE ASSESSED.

Abstract

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT, IN 1974, JAPAN'S TOTAL UNIVERSITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGE STUDENT POPULATION OF 1,989,000 INCLUDED APPROXIMATELY 35,000 ULTRALEFT STUDENT ACTIVISTS. A DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENT ACTIVISTS SINCE 1969 HAS NOT BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY A DECLINE IN VIOLENCE. ISOLATED ACTIVIST GROUPS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN BOMB INCIDENTS, INTERFACTIONAL WARFARE, AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM IN THE MID-1970'S. ATTENTION IS DRAWN TO THE INVOLVEMENT OF JAPANESE GUERRILLAS IN AIRCRAFT HIJACKING. SEVERAL VIEWS CONCERNING THE CAUSES OF EXTREMISM ARE NOTED. THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE JAPANESE EDUCATION SYSTEM'S EMPHASIS ON INTELLECTUAL TRAINING OVER CULTIVATION OF MORAL HABITS MAY BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN YOUTHFUL EXTREMISM IS BROUGHT OUT. THE DECLINE OF PARENTAL AUTHORITY IN JAPAN IS ALSO NOTED. CRIMINAL SANCTIONS IN JAPAN FOR DEALING WITH SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES, USE OF EXPLOSIVES AND INCENDIARIES, INTERFACTIONAL WARFARE, AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM ARE REVIEWED BRIEFLY.