NEWSMEN RUNNING OUTSIDE KODAMA'S HOME: FLAMES FROM INSIDE COMPOUND: FIRE ENGINES ARRIVING AT CRASH SITE: FIREMEN PUTTING OUT FIRE: SMOKE FROM INSIDE COMPOUND: AERIAL VIEWS OF KODAMA'S HOME WITH FIREMEN ON ROOF: PHOTOGRAPH OF MAENO.




Initials



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Background: A single-engined aircraft, piloted by a little-known Japanese film actor, crashed into the house of ultra-rightist Yoshio Kodama on Tuesday (23 March) in a Kamikaze-style suicide attack.

The plane exploded in flames when it hit the side of the luxury two-storey house, located in Tokyo's fashionable Setagaya Ward. The fire partially damaged the house, but it was quickly put out by fire engines.

On one inside the house was injured, including the 65-year-old Kodama, a bed-ridden invalid and a key figure in the Lockheed payoff scandal in Japan.

Mr. Kodama, known to be the leader of a group of 1,200 rightwing extremists, has been the target of both left and right wing demonstrations since he was implicated in the Lockheed brides scandal in late January.

He was also called upon by a rightwing nationalist group in mid February to commit ritual suicide for his "disgraceful" action in taking money from the American aircraft company.

The pilot of the Piper aircraft, who was killed in the crash, was identified by police as Mitsuyasu Maeno -- a 29-year-old actor who recently appeared in the Japanese version of the French pornographic film "Emmanuelle".

Police said that Mr. Maeno's last words on the intercom to the Chofu airfield in the western suburbs of Tokyo were the shout of "Tenno- Heika Banzai" (Long Live the Emperor).

He was identified as wearing a headband with the "Rising Sun" Japanese flag on it -- similar to those worn by World War Two Kamikaze pilots -- when he took off from the airfield.