The Empress of Terror

Fusako Shigenobu: The Unyielding Spirit Behind Japan’s Red Army

From Tokyo to Tel Aviv: A Woman’s Quest for Palestinian Justice

Leftist Japanese Red Army leader Fusako Shigenobu, surrounded by police, raises handcuffed hands upon arrival at Tokyo Station following her arrest in Osaka, western Japan November 8, 2000. Three decades of dodging international law enforcement authorities came to an end for the Red Army leader, via Reuters

Fusako Shigenobu, a Japanese woman, miles away from the Middle Eastern conflict, found herself deeply entrenched in the Palestinian cause. Her journey from the bustling streets of Tokyo to the volatile terrains of the Middle East unveil a principled human-being committed to the causes they believed in.

The Early Years

Born in 1945, in the shadow of a devastated Hiroshima, Fusako Shigenobu entered a world deeply scarred by the ravages of World War II. As she took her first steps, Japan was grappling with the aftermath of atomic bombings and the subsequent American occupation.

The streets echoed with tales of loss, resilience, and the desire for a new beginning. These narratives, coupled with the visible remnants of war, deeply influenced Fusako’s young mind.

Growing up, she was surrounded by stories of heroism, resistance, and the sacrifices made by her countrymen. This environment of nationalistic fervor and the evident consequences of imperialism pushed her towards radical left-wing ideologies.