Bereaved families publish memoirs ahead of 40th anniv. of 1985 JAL crash

NHK

14-07-2025

Ahead of the 40th anniversary of the deadly crash of a Japan Airlines jumbo jet, bereaved families have published a collection of their memoirs.
August 12 will mark 40 years since the plane crashed into the Osutaka Ridge in Gunma Prefecture, north of Tokyo in 1985, claiming 520 lives. The collection was compiled by a liaison group of bereaved families and is their first publication in 10 years.
Morishita Reiko, who lost her mother in the crash, is one of the 32 contributors to the book. In her memoir, Morishita reflects on a passage she wrote in the immediate aftermath of the accident: "If I could have one wish come true, it would be to see that summer day disappear and vanish." She wrote that that feeling has never changed since then.
Ozawa Kimi lost her husband when he was 29 years old. Ozawa said their son and his wife are living a great life, showing her what it would look like if she had continued to live with her late husband. She says she sees herself and her husband reflected in the younger couple and thinks about living another year. And asked her husband to watch over her from heaven.
Hirata Hiroko, whose brother died in the crash, wrote her memoir for the group for the first time. Hirata wrote that the day she reunites with her brother in heaven is approaching, given her declining health. She pledged to live each day to the fullest, with the lost lives of 520 victims, including her brother, in mind. Hirata added that, each time she sees an airplane flying in the blue sky, she couldn't help but wish them a safe trip.
The head of the bereaved families' group, Miyajima Kuniko, lost her son in the accident when he was nine years old. Miyajima stressed that human lives must be protected at all costs, at any time. Miyajima said the group's publication of the memoirs will help keep alive the memories of bereaved families and all people involved in its activities.