The leader of an ultrarightist group pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges that he and members of his group conducted terror attacks against members of North Korean-related organizations and others in 2002 and 2003.
Ichiro Murakami, 55, a company chairman and head of Token Tomonokai, a nationalist group of Japanese sword enthusiasts, is accused of participating in 23 incidents targeting facilities linked to pro-Pyongyang Korean residents in Japan, politicians, teachers and Aum Shinrikyo. He is charged with planting homemade bombs, firing shots into offices and sending envelopes containing bullets. No one was hurt in any of the incidents.
Murakami is also charged with violating a law on gun and sword control and damaging property.
During the opening session of his trial before the Tokyo District Court, Murakami said, "There is no mistake whatsoever in all" the accusations.
Thirteen other members of Token Tomonokai have been charged with carrying out the attacks at Murakami's instruction. Many are in their 40s and 50s and including a dentist, company executive and Buddhist priest.
Murakami's group stands accused of targeting people it deemed as being either pro-North Korean, pro-Chinese, pro-Russian, or who had perceived anti-Japanese tendencies, like the cult.
In September, Token Tomonokai members planted a bomb at the residence of Deputy Foreign Minister Hitoshi Tanaka in Tokyo, and another at the Japan Teachers Union headquarters in October, prosecutors said. In May and June, Token Tomonokai members fired bullets at Aum Shinrikyo facilities in Tokyo and Osaka, they said. The bombs did not explode, and nobody was hurt in any of the attacks.
The group also sent envelopes containing bullets and threatening letters to the offices of Diet members Hiromu Nonaka, Muneo Suzuki, Yohei Kono and Koichi Kato, as well as the Chongryun head office in Tokyo.