Kozo Okamoto, the Japanese terrorist who carried out the 1972 Lod Airport massacre that killed 24 people, has died in Beirut at age 78, according to an obituary published by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Okamoto was the sole survivor of the attack, served 13 years in Israeli prison, and was released in the 1985 Jibril prisoner exchange. He lived in Beirut's Dahieh neighborhood and never expressed regret for his actions.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) has formally confirmed the death of Kozo Okamoto, the Japanese terrorist who carried out the 1972 Lod Airport massacre, in a mourning notice published today. The notice states that Okamoto died in Beirut at age 78, and it provides the first official confirmation from the organization itself, following earlier reports from Israeli media.
Initial reports of Okamoto's death emerged at 18:20 Jerusalem time, citing Israeli media outlets. Shortly thereafter, at 18:44 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported new details about his final years, including that he suffered from severe mental deterioration and believed he was an electric kettle. The PFLP's obituary now corroborates the death and adds the group's formal acknowledgment, though it does not comment on the state of his mental health.
As The Zioneer reported on May 30, 1972, Okamoto was one of three operatives who attacked Lod Airport, killing 24 people — 16 Christian pilgrims from Puerto Rico and eight Israelis, including Professor Aharon Katzir. He was the only attacker to survive, was sentenced to life imprisonment, and was released in the 1985 Jibril prisoner exchange, the largest such swap at the time. After his release, he settled in Beirut's Dahieh neighborhood and remained a supporter of Palestinian terrorist groups, never expressing regret for his actions.
The PFLP obituary did not mention the cause of death or address the reports of Okamoto's mental deterioration. Those details remain unconfirmed, and the circumstances of his death are still unclear.
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