FEATURE: Aging kin of 1985 JAL jet crash victims leaving messages for future

Kyodo News

2 days ago

UENO, Japan - The steady passing of aging relatives of the victims of the 1985 Japan Airlines jumbo jet crash has been sad to watch for Kuniko Miyajima, a leading advocate for those who lost loved ones in the world's deadliest single-aircraft accident.
But on its 40th anniversary, Miyajima's dedication to remembering the tragedy through her support group remains steadfast, especially in the interest of future air safety.
In its first essay collection in a decade, her group self-published a booklet in mid-July in which dozens of its members record their emotional journeys and still-vivid memories of those they lost in hopes that it will provide valuable life lessons.
"Telling our stories requires forcing our emotions out and it always carries a bit of pain. But safety is something we must build together, rather than just pray or wish for," writes the association of bereaved families. "Not forgetting the feelings helps strengthen safety culture."
Preserving the memories of the accident remains challenging, both among the public and within Japan Airlines Co. As of the end of March, only 0.1 percent of employees had been with the company since the disaster. Including those rehired after reaching retirement age, the percentage is 3.6, according to JAL.
The association released a collection of memoirs nearly every year until the 30th anniversary, titled "Akanegumo" (Red Cloud). The title refers to the sunset glow that passengers and crew aboard JAL Flight 123 would have seen on the evening flight before the crash, which claimed the lives of all but four of the 524 on board.
In the new booklet, "After the Red Cloud," Machiko Taniguchi, 77, writes about how she still misses her husband, who died in the tragedy at the age of 40. She vows to continue her efforts to pass down her family's story through an illustrated book she created.
Kimi Ozawa, whose 29-year-old husband died while she was pregnant with their child, writes, "Our son and his wife are now showing me a world I had hoped to walk through with you. They are beaming and, in them, I see reflections of ourselves."
"Another year begins, and I will try to live -- please watch me, like you've always done," she adds.
Some of the victims' offspring also contributed. Masayoshi Yamamoto, who was 5 when his father died in the crash, says he is happy watching his own children grow up. However, he cannot help but think, "If only my father were alive."
Yamamoto reaches out to younger generations through a manga portraying the accident on social media. He says he wishes to preserve the lessons learned, especially as the anniversary makes him think more about aging families and fading memories.
Many contributors felt the significance of recording their thoughts as they looked beyond the 40th anniversary, said Miyajima. An unexpectedly large number of essays were submitted, including some from elderly individuals who may have difficulty writing.
A total of 32 people revealed their feelings in the booklet, including seven who had never contributed to the "Akanegumo" series before.
In late July, Miyajima presented the latest publication to around 200 JAL employees gathered at the airline's headquarters in Tokyo to listen to her lecture on safety.
"This is not just about resentment and bitterness," she told them, encouraging the audience to read the booklet. "I hope you will see a light for the future."
In her essay, Miyajima, 78, writes about the helpless rage and sorrow she felt for her 9-year-old son, Ken, who died in the accident on Aug. 12, 1985. She also writes about her commitment to "forever keeping alive the memory of those who perished in the sunset sky" and her gratitude to those who have supported her.
On the day of the accident, Miyajima saw Ken off at Haneda airport in Tokyo as he boarded the ill-fated flight to Osaka to visit relatives. His solo plane trip was a reward from his parents for swimming 25 meters in a pool for the first time.
Approximately 12 minutes after takeoff, the flight crew lost control of the Boeing 747 and it slammed 32 minutes later into a mountain in Gunma Prefecture, which came to be called Osutaka Ridge.
The accident stemmed from a faulty repair of the plane's rear pressure bulkhead seven years earlier following a tail-strike incident during landing. According to the accident investigation report, the bulkhead ruptured, blowing off the aircraft's vertical stabilizer and destroying its hydraulic lines.
Only parts of Ken's body including his right hand were retrieved and returned to his family.
Miyajima, who described herself as an "ordinary housewife" before the crash, became a powerful advocate for air safety and better assistance for victims of public transportation accidents after her son's death.
Her group's persistent calls to preserve the wreckage of the crashed plane were successful when, in 2006, JAL opened its Safety Promotion Center, which displays parts of the crashed aircraft as well as other debris, and actual notes and photos of the final messages written by those on board.
The center, located near Haneda airport, is used for the education of JAL Group employees and is open to the public. The facility inspired European aircraft manufacturer Airbus SE to open its own safety center in 2023, which showcases lessons learned from past accidents.
During her July lecture, Miyajima praised the response to an incident in which a JAL jetliner collided with a coast guard plane at Haneda airport in January 2024, with all 379 passengers and crew evacuated from the burning JAL plane in what some foreign media outlets called a "miracle."
Miyajima noted that continual training was likely behind the swift evacuation but emphasized that safety also relies on individual mindsets and the importance of being open to varying points of view.
"I sometimes felt that JAL employees were shunning the bereaved families, which hurt my feelings because it made me think that the company was made up of people who were all the same, lacking individuality," she said.
"But -- although it took quite a while -- there have been employees who...have thought about safety with us and walked alongside us," she said. "As the 41st year begins, let's work together to create safety."