Nichiro Terror Plot

The Nichiro Terror Plot (日露テロプロット) was a highly coordinated series of three terrorist attacks that were committed by the Teikoku Hanzai group, a terrorist group focused in Takyoto. Like its namesake, the terrorist attacks occurred in Nichiro, Takyoto, in the Kishi-Āto district on November 7, 1989.

The plan consisted of three separate acts of terrorism, all in the Kishi-Āto district of Nichiro. The first act would be to plant bombs on the 62nd and 67th floors of 62 Omona-zaimu Street. The bombs would then explode and damage the building and cause a fire around the blast sites. When the two bombs initiated, they fortunately did not execute as much damage as planned. However floors 60-68 were damaged seriously, and fires burned for hours. The building did not collapse, but debris from the building did blow into nearby buildings and windows on the lower floors of the building. The second act consisted of a major mass murder shooting at the Ōtsu Shopping Mall during its peak business hours at 10:42 a.m. The shooting killed over 70 people and closed the mall for months after the shooting. The last and final act of terror would be a bombing at Kyōka Hall during an theater performance that would be attended by thousands. After the bombing, thousands of audience members and actors were trapped, but soon rescued after hours of work. 358 people were instantly killed in the bombings, and the building was damaged beyond extent. In total, over 530 people were killed in the attacks.

There were no suspicions to any terrorist organizations based around or in Takyoto. It took over 4 years to find the group linked to the Terror Plot. The Teikoku Hanzai group, a terrorist organization founded in 1988 and not listed as a known group at the time, was found as the perpetrator of the attacks. The motive for the attacks and formation of the group was the imprisonment of a famous "wanted" Chinese criminal that the group looked up to. At the time, the group had over 50 members in hiding. The leader, Shiro Takenaka, was captured in 1993, and soon other high priority members of the group were found. As of 2005, the entire group has been captured and imprisoned. However, Shiro was sailed away from the country and isolated on an abandoned island many miles off shore.

The attacks called for a major upgrade in security in urban areas of Takyoto. All high-rise commercial office were fitted with ground floor security X-ray scanning machines. The Ōtsu Shopping Mall was reopened 2 months after the attacks, although no difference in security measures were noticable. The Kyōka Hall collapsed after the attacks, and clearing of the site lasted for 2 years. A memorial was set up on the southern border of the construction site. A replacement Kyōka Hall started construction in 2004, after many delays in the past years.

Attacks
Around 9:45 a.m., office worker Haruki Yamaguchi entered 62 Omona-zaimu Street with a two bombs hidden in his satchel. He passed the lobby and entered one of the elevators. First he went up to the 67th floor at 9:48 a.m. and planted one of the bombs directly under a urinal, on one of the outer perimeter bathrooms. Soon after, he took another elevator down to the 62nd floor of the building at 9:51 and planted a bomb under his office desk. Soon he ran to the express elevator and took the ride down to the lobby. At 9:52 a.m. he hurried out of the building.

Meanwhile, Hideyoshi Sato gathered guns at his Kawamachi home, with no suspicions from neighbors. Bomber Shin Matsuoka was in the same home preparing the bomb that he would soon explode at the Kyōka Hall. The two conversed about the plan, and where they would be going and when. When interrogated, Matsuoka mentioned that all the curtains and windows were closed, and all doors into the house were locked.

Events
At 9:53 a.m., the bomb on the 67th floor of 62 Omona-zaimu Street exploded, causing an immediate fire. At the time, workers did not know that it was a bomb, and thought of it as a gas explosion. The building manager called for an immediate evacuation, and many workers on the lower floors made it out. Workers were prohibited from using the elevator in cause of another explosion and the fire. However, before workers in the upper floors could get pass the 60th floor, the bomb on the 62nd floor exploded at 9:56 a.m. Soon, all buildings within a mile's distance of the building were evacuated. Later on, at 10:38 a.m., Hideyoshi Sato entered the Ōtsu Shopping Mall, 3 miles away from 62 Omona-zaimu. The mall, despite the fire and evacuations occurring in the area, was still busy and packed with shoppers. Sato then walked over to the mall's food court and sat down at a table. Then, he opened fire on innocent shoppers at 10:42 a.m. and shot at anyone in his sight. Many people ducked behind the counters as others were shot to death instantly. The mall security helped evacuate shoppers from the mall as Sato continued to shoot. After most people were evacuated, security then ran to capture Sato, only to be too late.

Finally, at 10:59 a.m., Shin Matsuoka entered Kyōka Hall as a theater performance was playing. He sat in one of the middle rows of the hall, and watched for about 4 minutes. Then, he left the theater, telling the ushers that he was going to smoke. Just a few seconds after he left the hall, a bomb exploded under his seat and damaged the pillars that supported the roof of the building. The roof soon collapsed onto the audience and trapped many for hours and some even days.

By noon, the entire Yoturu region was under an urgent lockdown. All flights into the country were diverted to Narita International Airport in Tokyo, Japan. Government offices and buildings in Toyokin were evacuated or put under lockdown. Police surrounded major landmarks in Nichiro and surrounding cities. Nearby nations were advised to be on alert for any suspicious crimes for safety.

Casualties
The attacks caused a total of 537 fatalities. None of the perpetrators were killed. The bomb at Kyōka Hall claimed the most lives, with a death toll of 358. 70 people were killed by the shootings at the Ōtsu Shopping Mall, with Hideyoshi Sato narrowly escaping death from a fight with security. The two bombs at 62 Omona-zaimu Street claimed 109 lives, most of them being trapped in the burning floors of the building, and items collapsing on them and crushing them. Several thousand people were injured in the attacks, including workers, bystanders, and emergency responders.

Memorials
Category:Terrorist incidents