ABNA24 - Kozo Okamoto, widely known by his nom de guerre Ahmad al-Yabani [“Ahmad the Japanese”], has died in Lebanon after spending decades supporting the Palestinian Resistance and the struggle for the liberation of occupied Palestine.
The name “Ahmad al-Yabani” was given to him by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine [PFLP] in recognition of his close cooperation with the movement. “Ahmad” was the name he adopted after converting to Islam, while “Al-Yabani” reflected his Japanese origins, making him one of the few Japanese figures to join the Palestinian Resistance.
Born in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture in 1947, Okamoto studied botany before becoming politically active. Motivated by what he viewed as global injustice and inspired by the Palestinian cause, he joined the Japanese Red Army [JRA], a Marxist-Leninist organization that maintained close ties with Palestinian Resistance factions, particularly the PFLP, and operated extensively from Lebanon.
The JRA sought to challenge Japanese authorities while also taking part in armed operations across West Asia, with a strong focus on confronting the “Israeli” occupation. The group received training and military support from the PFLP and later came under sustained pressure from the Japanese government, which designated it a terrorist organization along with the United States. Although the organization formally dissolved in 2001, Japanese authorities continued pursuing former members.
Okamoto became internationally known for his role in the May 30, 1972 operation at Al-Lydd [“Lod”] Airport, now known as Ben Gurion Airport. He and two fellow JRA fighters arrived on a flight from Rome carrying violin cases that concealed assault rifles and grenades.
According to accounts of the operation, airport security had focused its attention on Palestinian travelers, allowing the three Japanese fighters to enter the terminal without raising suspicion. Once inside, they launched an attack targeting the “Israeli” occupation’s airport facilities and personnel.
The operation resulted in the deaths of 26 people, including eight “Israeli” settlers. Among those killed was Aharon Katzir, who had been considered a leading candidate in the “Israeli” presidential race. Accounts differ over whether all of the fatalities resulted directly from the operation, with some suggesting that several people may have been caught in the exchange of fire between the Resistance fighters and “Israeli” occupation forces.
Two of the three fighters were killed during the confrontation, while Okamoto was wounded, captured, and later sentenced to life imprisonment by an “Israeli” military court.
After serving 13 years in prison, Okamoto was released in 1985 under the Jibril Agreement, a landmark prisoner exchange brokered by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command [PFLP-GC] under the leadership of Ahmed Jibril.
The agreement saw the Palestinian Resistance exchange three captured “Israeli” soldiers for 1,150 Palestinian and allied prisoners held by the occupation. Among those released were Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, who later founded Hamas, and Ziyad Al-Nakhalah, who would go on to lead the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Many of those freed in the exchange later became leading figures in the First Intifada against the “Israeli” occupation.
Following his release, Okamoto settled in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley, where he lived quietly for many years. In 1997, he was arrested along with four other JRA members on charges related to forged passports and visa violations. While the others were extradited to Japan, Lebanese authorities allowed Okamoto to remain in the country and later granted him political refugee status.
He continued living in Lebanon under the protection of the same Resistance organizations that had stood by him throughout his life. Until his death on July 23, 2026, Okamoto remained a symbol, for many supporters of the Palestinian Cause, of international solidarity with occupied Palestine and resistance against imperialism and Western hegemony.
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