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Japan Today
12-08-2025
- General
- Japan Today
Families mark 40th anniversary of 1985 JAL jet crash
Relatives of the victims mark the 40th anniversary of the 1985 Japan Airlines jumbo jet crash at a cenotaph in Ueno, Gunma Prefecture, on Tuesday. Families of the victims of the 1985 Japan Airlines jumbo jet crash on Tuesday marked the 40th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 520 lives, bearing deep sorrow and hope never to see another accident like it. Relatives of those who died in the world's deadliest single-aircraft accident climbed a steep mountain trail from the morning to mourn their loved ones at the Osutaka Ridge crash site in Gunma Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo. The commemorative pilgrimage to the 1,565-meter crash site by families and others close to the victims has been held every year, including during the coronavirus pandemic when events were scaled back. The climb has become increasingly challenging for relatives as they age. Climbers offered a silent prayer at the memorial monument for the victims and for flight safety, with many expressing their determination to keep the memory of the accident alive. Kuniko Miyajima, 78, who has led an association of bereaved families who lost her 9-year-old son, Ken, said, "These 40 years I have been supported by my comrades. I will continue to convey the value of life." JAL said 217 people from 63 families had made the climb as of 11 a.m. CEO Mitsuko Tottori also visited the site to lay flowers, bowing deeply before the monument after removing her rainwear. A memorial ceremony will be held at the foot of the mountain in the village of Ueno at 6:56 p.m., the exact time of the impact. On Aug 12, 1985, JAL Flight 123, en route from Tokyo to Osaka, crashed nearly 45 minutes after takeoff, leaving only four survivors among the 524 passengers and crew aboard. Many of the passengers on the Boeing 747 were traveling to their hometowns during Japan's Bon summer holiday season. The dead included singer Kyu Sakamoto, known for his smash-hit song "Sukiyaki." The Japanese government's official investigation report, released in 1987, blamed the accident on faulty repairs conducted by Boeing Co on the plane's rear pressure bulkhead. The bulkhead ruptured during the flight, blowing off the aircraft's vertical stabilizer and destroying its hydraulic systems. As memories fade, JAL has promoted safety awareness through a center that displays the fractured bulkhead and other wreckage as well as actual notes and photos of the last messages written by those who were on board. Its employees also visit the crash site when they are newly recruited and at other times during their careers. JAL was hailed for its successful evacuation of hundreds of passengers from a burning plane that collided with a coast guard aircraft on a runway at Tokyo's Haneda airport in January 2024. But it has also seen a series of scandals regarding pilots' alcohol consumption in recent years. According to Japan's transportation accident investigation board, no passengers have died in accidents caused by Japanese carriers that offer regular flight services since the 1985 JAL accident. © KYODO
The Mainichi
12-08-2025
- General
- The Mainichi
200 river lanterns honor victims of Japan's worst air crash on 40th anniversary
UENO, Gunma -- A floating lantern ceremony was held to mourn the 520 people killed in a 1985 Japan Airlines (JAL) jumbo jet crash in this east Japan village on Aug. 11, one day before the 40th anniversary of the accident. Around 200 lanterns with messages written by bereaved family members such as, "Praying for safety in the skies," and, "We will never forget what happened 40 years ago," were floated down the Kanna River at the foot of Osutaka Ridge in Ueno, Gunma Prefecture, where the plane crashed. The lanterns shined in the dusk amid light rain. Mariko Kawaguchi, a 64-year-old specially appointed university professor from Tokyo, visited Ueno for the first time in 10 years. She lost her father Hirotsugu, 52 at the time of the crash, whom she described as sincere and a family-oriented man. She wrote on a lantern, "I've become 12 years older than you were, Dad. Thank you so much for these past 40 years." She told the Mainichi Shimbun, "I'm grateful that so many people have continued to take care of this place with such sincerity." The sound of accordions played by a citizens' group from the prefectural city of Takasaki could be heard at the site. They performed music including "Ue o Muite Aruko," know in English as "Sukiyaki," a signature song by Kyu Sakamoto, who also died in the accident. Masami Uehara, the 71-year-old leader of the group, explained, "We play with prayers that no more aviation accidents will occur. I hope those prayers reach the hearts of the people here." Children and teachers from the local Ueno Elementary School also participated. Yukimasa Ihara, an 11-year-old student in sixth grade, said, "I learned about the crash at my school and from my dad, and it made me feel sad. I want to share this with younger kids and students who transfer here." On the morning of Aug. 12, bereaved family members climb the mountain trail to Osutaka Ridge. A memorial service is also held at the "Irei no Sono" memorial garden at the foot of the mountain, allowing participants to observe a moment of silence at 6:56 p.m., the exact time of the crash. (Japanese original by Sakae Kato, Maebashi Bureau)
Kyodo News
12-08-2025
- General
- Kyodo News
Families mark 40th anniv. of 1985 JAL jet crash, wish for no repeat
UENO, Japan - Families of the victims of the 1985 Japan Airlines jumbo jet crash on Tuesday marked the 40th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 520 lives, bearing deep sorrow and hope never to see another accident like it. Relatives of those who died in the world's deadliest single-aircraft accident climbed a steep mountain trail from the morning to mourn their loved ones at the Osutaka Ridge crash site in Gunma Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo. The commemorative pilgrimage to the 1,565-meter crash site by families and others close to the victims has been held every year, including during the coronavirus pandemic when events were scaled back. The climb has become increasingly challenging for relatives as they age. A memorial ceremony will be held at the foot of the mountain in the village of Ueno at 6:56 p.m., the exact time of the impact. On Aug. 12, 1985, JAL Flight 123, en route from Tokyo to Osaka, crashed nearly 45 minutes after takeoff, leaving only four survivors among the 524 passengers and crew aboard. Many of the passengers on the Boeing 747 were traveling to their hometowns during Japan's Bon summer holiday season. The dead included singer Kyu Sakamoto, known for his smash-hit song "Sukiyaki." The Japanese government's official investigation report, released in 1987, blamed the accident on faulty repairs conducted by Boeing Co. on the plane's rear pressure bulkhead. The bulkhead ruptured during the flight, blowing off the aircraft's vertical stabilizer and destroying its hydraulic systems. As memories fade, JAL has promoted safety awareness through a center that displays the fractured bulkhead and other wreckage as well as actual notes and photos of the last messages written by those who were on board. Its employees also visit the crash site when they are newly recruited and at other times during their careers. JAL was hailed for its successful evacuation of hundreds of passengers from a burning plane that collided with a coast guard aircraft on a runway at Tokyo's Haneda airport in January 2024. But it has also seen a series of scandals regarding pilots' alcohol consumption in recent years. According to Japan's transportation accident investigation board, no passengers have died in accidents caused by Japanese carriers that offer regular flight services since the 1985 JAL accident.
11-08-2025
- Entertainment
Japan's Deadliest Air Disaster: The Crash of JAL 123 in 1985
Cultural Snapshots Guideto Japan The crash of Japan Airlines flight 123 in 1985 resulted in 520 fatalities, making it one of the worst airplane crashes in the world and Japan's deadliest air disaster ever. A Deadly Crash On August 12, 1985, the crash of a Japan Airlines Boeing 747 in central Japan resulted in 520 fatalities. It was Japan's deadliest air accident, as well as the deadliest air disaster in history involving a single aircraft and no additional deaths on the ground. Every year on the anniversary of the tragedy, relatives of the 520 victims—the 15 crew members and 505 passengers—and others climb Mount Osutaka in the village of Ueno, Gunma Prefecture, close to the site of the accident, to pay their respects in front of the grave markers erected in the names of the dead. Flight JAL 123 was scheduled to fly from Tokyo to Osaka. About 10 minutes after takeoff in the early evening, the aircraft suffered a rupture in its rear pressure bulkhead, rendering it uncontrollable. The pilots tried in vain to regain control of the aircraft for half an hour before it crashed into the mountains. While almost all those on board were killed, four people miraculously survived. Among those who died was Sakamoto Kyū, the singer who won global fame with his hit song 'Ue o muite arukō,' released internationally as 'Sukiyaki.' (Originally written in English. Banner photo: Mourners make a silent prayer in Ueno, Gunma Prefecture, in August 2022 to mark 37 years since the disaster. © Jiji.)
